USA: International superstars David and Victoria Beckham arrive in Los Angeles

International soccer player David Beckham and his family are mobbed by media and fans as they arrive to start new life in Los Angeles. David Beckham's much-hyped American adventure finally began on Thursday night (July 12) when he and his family touched down at Los Angeles airport before being whisked away in a chauffeured car. The England midfielder, one of the world's most marketable sports figures, has joined Los Angeles Galaxy from Spanish giants Real Madrid on a lucrative deal that will earn him an estimated 250 U.S. dollars (USD) million over five years. Beckham, casually dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt, and his wife Victoria, wearing a black dress and her trademark sunglasses, waved and smiled at a crowd of around 300 crammed outside the airport terminal. Accompanied by security officials, the celebrity couple did not speak to the fans and made their way down a staircase and on to a barricaded sidewalk before being driven off in a black Lincoln Navigator. The Beckhams' sons -- Brooklyn, 8, Romeo, 4 and Cruz, 2- years old -- were escorted out of the airport via a different route. The hype has escalated ever since the January announcement that Beckham was moving to Major League Soccer (MLS) and his hotly anticipated arrival has already given the American game much-needed credibility and plenty of buzz. Although the former England captain himself has never claimed he can become the saviour of U.S. soccer, he is determined to make a difference. Beckham, 32, will be officially introduced as a Galaxy player on Friday (July 13) at the team's home stadium in Carson, California. He is scheduled to report for training the following Monday (July 16) before making his first appearance for the Galaxy in an exhibition match with FA Cup holders Chelsea on July 21.

ITN Source | July 14, 2007

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