00:08So the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Walk of Fame on behalf of the City of Los Angeles.
00:14And on behalf of our Councilman Hugo Soto Martinez and the City of Los Angeles,
00:18I'd like to present to you this resolution from the City.
00:26First, we've got to go towards the cameras. Let's step over here.
00:28Let's step over here so they can see.
01:02And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's hear from the man himself.
01:07Sir David Beckham, the microphone is yours.
01:19Wow.
01:22So, thank you to Tom. We'll wait for the sirens.
01:30Whilst we're waiting, I would just like to thank the media for being here today,
01:36all of the fans that have turned up today,
01:41and all of the police officers that have helped make this day so special for us as well.
01:52So, thank you to Tom and my wife for those kind words.
01:56I'm not sure how I actually can compete with those, but I'm going to do my best.
02:01Good morning, everyone, and thank you all so much for being here today.
02:04I love you, Tom.
02:06I love you too. He loves you.
02:10I must obviously thank the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Walk of Fame Selection Committee for this recognition,
02:18and of course, Ellen Kaye for hosting today.
02:24I must admit that this is all rather surreal.
02:27I've experienced some amazing moments in my career, but to be here in Los Angeles receiving a star on the
02:34world-famous Walk of Fame is truly incredible.
02:38I've always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honour like this would come to a
02:45working-class English soccer player like me.
02:48I grew up in the East End of London, a long way from Hollywood.
02:53As a young boy, I loved soccer more than anything, and it was all I ever wanted to do.
02:58I always loved America, though, and its TV shows.
03:02Knight Rider and A-Team were my personal favourites.
03:09But you could also find me on the sofa watching the iconic Golden Girls with my mum,
03:14and also racing to see the latest blockbuster movies with my friends.
03:19The cinema was a huge treat for me and my sisters, and like all boys my age, I was obsessed
03:25with action heroes.
03:26So, to stand here in front of my friend Tom Cruise, the greatest movie star of our time, is quite
03:33frankly mind-blowing.
03:38And the fact that mine and Victoria's first movie date was Jerry Maguire is a pretty mad full circle moment.
03:48Tom, I am so grateful for your friendship.
03:51You welcomed us to LA 20 years ago, and you have been a loyal friend and an inspiration to me
03:57ever since.
03:58Your energy, professionalism, and commitment to what you love, and to your audience, is unrivalled.
04:05And I am so honoured that you are here today with me.
04:12The more I saw, the more I became obsessed with America.
04:16It's stars, and especially it's sports.
04:19In the USA, sports was box office entertainment.
04:23I love the ambition, the scale, the sheer entertainment value of US sports.
04:28American football with its Super Bowl, and the NBA with the superstars,
04:33who transcended the game and dominated people and popular culture like rock stars.
04:40And no one was more powerful than Michael Jordan, the greatest of all time.
04:45I loved everything about him, his talent on the court, his style off it, and his impact far beyond the
04:52game.
04:52What Michael Jordan did had a huge effect on me then and still inspires me to this day.
04:58He is the reason that I wore number 23, and he showed that you could be more than just an
05:04athlete.
05:04But to achieve my dreams, I knew I would one day make the leap across the pond to make the
05:11US my second home.
05:13I first came to America when I was 16, on a soccer tour to Dallas.
05:17A couple of years later, I came to Los Angeles for the first time on a coaching trip, which coincided
05:24with the 1994 World Cup.
05:26The fact that my beloved England hadn't qualified wasn't enough to dampen the excitement of me of being in the
05:34town for the greatest show on earth.
05:36How fitting then that I am here today as we prepare to celebrate the opening here in the US of
05:43the 2026 World Cup.
05:45It's a powerful moment to recognize how the sport I love so much has grown in this country over the
05:51past three decades.
05:52I finally made the move to the US with Victoria and our boys in 2007 to join the LA Galaxy.
06:00Our daughter Harper was born here and our family was complete.
06:04We were so happy in LA for those six years, and it's still a place that we love so much
06:11and consider our home.
06:13I must thank my friend and the man that brought me to the LA Galaxy, Tim Loyerke, and our MLS
06:19Commissioner, Don Garber.
06:21I made a commitment to them both.
06:23Firstly to Tim to win championships, which we did, and also to help build soccer in the US.
06:31I simply couldn't see why the greatest sporting nation wouldn't embrace the biggest sport on earth, but we believed.
06:39We fought the obstacles, and we have seen incredible growth.
06:43To see soccer in this country finally take its place on the main stage makes me extremely proud of the
06:49small part that I have played.
06:50And I truly believe that it can only get bigger and better.
06:56To have now gone to build my own team in Miami and to have the greatest player in the world
07:03on my team really is the stuff that dreams are made of.
07:06I feel truly honored and fortunate to be living the American dream.
07:12So, I give thanks to this country, to the fans that embraced us, the people that welcomed us and made
07:19our adventure so much fun.
07:21I want to thank my teammates, my friends, my team for always being in my corner and cheering me on.
07:29Most of all, I want to thank my incredible family.
07:39My parents and my sisters always supported my dreams.
07:43Victoria, my amazing wife, for almost 30 years, without whom none of this would be possible or enjoyable.
07:55And my beautiful children, who are the reason that I get out of bed in the morning.
08:01Kids, I'm going to get emotional now.
08:03Kids, I hope you bring my grandchildren here one day and tell them about a boy who dreamed big.
08:11To make you all proud is my greatest achievement.
08:15I am so grateful for you all.
08:17I love you and thank you so much for this honor, LA.
08:21It means the world to me.
08:23Thank you very much.
08:33Thanks, though.
08:33Thank you very much for having me here.
08:34You, when you can see a lot I loved myrying people.
08:34To visit my Healing patolphus Hotel.
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