Milner: Beckham's true value found well beyond his soccer skills

David Beckham the global brand carries considerably more value than David Beckham the soccer star, as his lucrative new deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy underlines.

This has been the case for several years, as Beckham's striking good looks, likeable personality and celebrity lifestyle have propelled him into one of the sports world's premier pitchmen for such global marketers as adidas, Gillette, Pepsi and Motorola.

David Beckham the global brand carries considerably more value than David Beckham the soccer star, as his lucrative new deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy underlines.

This has been the case for several years, as Beckham's striking good looks, likeable personality and celebrity lifestyle have propelled him into one of the sports world's premier pitchmen for such global marketers as adidas, Gillette, Pepsi and Motorola. Such is his name value that Real Madrid, his current team, recovered its entire transfer fee of £20-million ($45.8-million Canadian at current rates) from jersey sales in his first season.