MARVIN CHOW: Good morning.
Good morning.
Hello everybody.
How are you?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: My name is Marvin
Chow, and I'll be your host
this morning.
We are extremely excited to be
welcoming international sports
sensation, philanthropist, and
global icon David Beckham to
Google today.
[ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: Thank you
all for coming out.
A special hello to all of our
friends from around the world
who are joining us by our
YouTube live stream.
We are coming to you from
Google's headquarters in
Mountain View, California.
I have to say, when David called
us and asked us if he
could drop by today, excitement
doesn't even begin
to describe how we felt.
He is one of the few truly
global sports stars.
He is one of the most searched
for athletes on Google, and
it's amazing how his fans have
embraced him across Google
Search, Google+, and YouTube.
It's unbelievable.
But before I bring out the man
himself, I want to welcome to
Google with this short video.
So let's take a quick look.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
FEMALE SPEAKER: Why are you
special in the sports world?
DAVID BECKHAM: Well I won the
book chart in soccer school.
[VARIOUS VOICES]
FEMALE SPEAKER: I love
him so much.
MALE SPEAKER: No freakin' way!
SPORTS ANNOUNCER:
David Beckham!
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
DAVID BECKHAM: Center.
Center.
Center.
[END VIDEO PLAYBACK]
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: Ladies and
gentlemen, ladies and
gentlemen, please welcome
Mr. David Beckham.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE
AND WHISTLES]
MARVIN CHOW: Nice
to see you, Sir.
How are you?
Wave.
DAVID BECKHAM: Morning.
MARVIN CHOW: Have a seat.
Have a seat.
Welcome.
Welcome to Google.
So let's kick off,
no pun intended,
with a little soccer.
Or, for our international
friends, football.
You know, you David, you really
have had a global
soccer career.
I mean, you joined Manchester
United at the young age of 17.
You won 9 major trophies
in 11 years there.
Very impressive.
You then joined Real Madrid
where you won another trophy,
and then since 2007, you've been
here in the U.S. playing
for the LA Galaxy, where
last year you
won yet another trophy.
And I think that puts you in a
very rare group of trifecta
winners of three trophies on
three different countries.
So congratulations.
DAVID BECKHAM: Thank
you very much.
MARVIN CHOW: And then obviously,
while preparing to
meet you last night, I read
even more news last night.
The big news that you've decided
to stay here in the
U.S. and continue to play for
the U.S., the LA Galaxy.
Congratulations.
And I think we're excited that
you chose Google as a place to
come talk to your fans
and the rest of the
world about that news.
So why don't we start there?
Why don't you tell us a little
bit about that decision to
stay with the Galaxy.
DAVID BECKHAM: Well, good
morning, first of all.
I'm excited to be here.
To be part of this is exciting
for me, and to be here with
you all and everyone else
watching around the world,
it's exciting.
Google's one of the biggest
companies in the world.
So I'm honored to
be here today.
My decision, obviously,
throughout my career has
always been about my family,
about my career, about my
footballing career.
And I've been lucky to have
played over the years with
some of the biggest clubs in
the world, some of the best
players in the world.
And it's been exciting.
I've been lucky enough to have
been successful in many
different clubs that
I've played for.
And professionally, coming to
the U.S. was something that I
was excited about.
It was a challenge.
It was a new challenge.
I played in Europe.
I'd won everything that I
possibly could in Europe, and
I wanted a new challenge.
MARVIN CHOW: When you
conquer Europe, it's
definitely the next--
DAVID BECKHAM: Like I said, I
was very lucky in my career.
MARVIN CHOW: You are.
DAVID BECKHAM: So then,
obviously, coming to America
was an exciting thing
for me, and I've had
a great five years.
I met a lot of good people, a
lot of great fans around the
world, traveled around America,
played in different
parts of America, which I'd
never played in before, and
it's been exciting.
So this championship at the end
of this year was one of
the most satisfying in my
career, I must admit.
To have been here for the time
that I've been here, to reach
the goals that I'd reached off
the field, with raising the
popularity of the game.
I'd reached those goals.
The only goal that I hadn't
reached was a championship
with the Galaxy, which is the
main reason why I came to
America and came to the
Galaxy as a franchise.
So that was missing,
but now it's not.
MARVIN CHOW: Congratulations.
DAVID BECKHAM: But obviously,
with the new contract now, it
was a decision that I didn't
take lightly because I
obviously had other
offers from other
clubs around the world.
And at 36 years old you
don't expect to
still get these offers.
So that was nice.
But it was all about where I
felt the future was going for
the game here in the U.S., and
also where my family was
happiest. And my family is
happiest here at the moment.
We love living in LA.
We love living in America.
We've adapted the culture, we've
adapted everything that
this country has, and
we enjoy that.
So I'm going to continue to
enjoy playing soccer here, and
my family will continue
to enjoy it.
MARVIN CHOW: Well, speaking
of, kind of
away from the Galaxy--
I saw when you came in 2007,
you made a very public
statement that you wanted to
help grow the game of soccer
in the U.S. Can you talk a
little bit about how that's
going and some areas around
growing the game here?
DAVID BECKHAM: Well
that's the thing.
It's one of the reasons why
I came to this country.
It's because, for me, soccer is
the number one sport around
the world apart from America.
Don't get me wrong, the other
sports, American football,
basketball, baseball, they're
all great sports and have
great athletes in
these sports.
But the number one game in
the world is soccer.
So I want to get soccer
to a different
level in this country.
And I think that we've done
that in the last--
I've felt it change in the
last couple of years.
And that's why I didn't want to
walk away from it because I
felt the change.
And to walk away at this point
would be disappointing because
I've been part of that growth,
and I want to continue to be
part of that growth.
So it's an exciting time.
And it's great for the family as
well, great for the family
to be here.
MARVIN CHOW: Well, speaking of
the family, I think we've all
read how important
family is to you.
So what role did Victoria and
the kids have in decision, in
making this decision?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, they
have the final answer.
It's as simple as that.
That sounded wrong.
No, obviously, when you're
married, when you have
children, your priorities
totally change.
10 years ago, when I was playing
at Manchester United,
at Real Madrid--
obviously, we were married, but
it was a lot easier for us
to make decisions based
on our careers.
Whereas, we've got three amazing
boys now and a little
girl that we have to
look after, and
it's all about them.
So our priorities are
about our children.
But like I said, in the question
before, the growth of
the game is growing.
And to see when I first arrived
there'd be 12 teams in
the league, now there's 19.
There are stadiums being built
around America solely for
soccer, which is a big thing.
And that's the exiting part of
why and one of the reasons why
I wanted to stay.
MARVIN CHOW: Yeah, well I
think the impact of your
presence on the game has
been very clear over
the last five years.
I think one of the other
questions that I'm sure is on
a lot of people's minds with
this decision is really, why
come to Google to tell the world
and talk to your fans?
DAVID BECKHAM: Why not?
Why not?
MARVIN CHOW: So simple.
DAVID BECKHAM: Like I said,
it's one of the biggest
companies in the world,
and it reaches so
many millions of people.
And I felt that it's something
that you always see when you
open your computer.
MARVIN CHOW: We like that.
DAVID BECKHAM: And something
I was really excited about.
So like I said, I'm honored to
be here with everyone, and
thanks for coming out because
there's a lot of you.
Thank you.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: So in getting ready
for this visit we saw
that you posted a video callout
for questions on
YouTube, which is fantastic.
And I'd say from that
video we've
collected tons of questions.
We've gone through them and
we've curated them, and
obviously we'll go through
some of those today.
I think, just also so you know,
your Google following is
also very strong.
Obviously, you can see the
people here in Charlie's, but
in addition to this group
there are about 26 other
offices from around the world
dialed in to watch this and
ask you questions as well.
And I think, if it weren't so
late in some of the other
parts of the world, we'd have
even more than that.
So congratulations on building
a following here
at Google as well.
So let's dig in to some of
the questions right away.
We'll start with football.
Tou Moo Yee from California
wants to know, what is the
biggest difference between
playing football in America
versus Europe?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, there's
not a huge amount of
difference.
One of the biggest differences
I'd say is just the travel.
It's literally the travel.
In Europe we only have to travel
about an hour to a
game, or two hours at the most.
Whereas, when we play
East Coast and we're playing in
New York, it's a 5, 5 and
1/2 hour journey.
So that's a big difference but
on the field, the level of
play has definitely gone up in
the last three or four years.
And I think that it's at a stage
now where this game is
starting to attract the interest
of some big names and
big players in Europe.
And I think there has to be a
certain change with some of
the things that goes on
throughout the league.
But I think it's a league now,
where European teams, big
European teams, are coming over
for their pre-seasons and
they're playing against us.
So five years ago, the Galaxy
had been heard of but I think
now, with the interest of the
players that have come over,
such as Robbie Keane and
obviously London Donovan as a
U.S. star, we've had that
interest and it's exciting to
be part of.
MARVIN CHOW: Yeah, I think it
must great to see the growth,
see the change year over year,
and the speed and the power of
the players.
DAVID BECKHAM: I think that's
what you always want.
You want to see something
grow.
If you sit still so long-- you
know this better than anyone
with Google--
if you sit there too long then
things change around you.
And to see the growth, to see
the change, I'm proud to be
part of that.
MARVIN CHOW: That's great.
Another question.
Mahin Zarra asks, what is the
first thing you do, think, or
notice when you step onto
the field initially?
DAVID BECKHAM: I think
just the excitement.
I'm still--
I'm 36 years old, and every time
I step on the field I'm
like a little kid.
And I know once that changes
then that's when I'll feel
I'll have to stop playing.
But until that changes, I'm
going to continue to play as
long as possible and as
long as teams keep
offering me new contracts.
MARVIN CHOW: But it seems like
that love of the game, that
childhood joy of just playing
the game, is what drives you.
DAVID BECKHAM: I've always
been driven.
Even at a young age, all I ever
wanted to do was become a
footballer or soccer star.
And that was my only ambition.
I know it's different these
days with kids.
There's obviously this
fame, this fortune.
And it might be easy for me to
say that because, obviously,
I've done very well at the game,
but I'd still be playing
this game even if I wasn't
being paid for it.
Not that I don't want to be paid
for it, but I still would
be playing this sport.
MARVIN CHOW: Very good.
Very good.
Another question.
Christina Greenwood asks, do
you ever listen to music
before a soccer game to kind
of get yourself pumped up?
DAVID BECKHAM: Always.
MARVIN CHOW: Always?
The Spice Girls?
DAVID BECKHAM: Spice
Girls, of course.
I mean, one of them always gets
me going before a game.
MARVIN CHOW: Everybody.
I think, who doesn't?
DAVID BECKHAM: Always.
Yeah, so no, Spice Girls is not
on the playlist. It's on
my iPod but it's not on the
playlist. That's for a
different time with the kids.
But no, I always listen
to music.
I'm a huge Jay-Z fan.
MARVIN CHOW: Excellent.
DAVID BECKHAM: Huge Stone Roses
fan, as well, who are
getting back together in June.
Just plugging them.
And no, at different
clubs it's strange.
Before games we always listen
to music, but there are
certain managers at certain
clubs that don't like music
before a game in the change room
which, in the end, most
players end up listening
with their headsets.
MARVIN CHOW: That's good.
Min Koh wants you to
give up the secret.
How do you train for the
perfect Beckham kick?
We've seen it.
How does it happen?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, it's just
that people have asked me
that over the years.
How do I curl the ball?
Or how do I bend the ball?
And it's something that
just happened.
It's not something that I
thought, OK, I want to bend
the ball better than anyone else
so I'm going to kick the
ball in this certain way.
I just worked on my striking
of the ball.
I just practiced every day.
It's something that I've done
from a very young age.
Even after every training
session, I'd take balls on my
own and just go and kick and
try and find new ways of
getting the ball in the net
without anyone touching it.
I've been lucky enough to have
done that over the years with
the way I kick the ball, and I
know that it's a unique style.
And I know it's a unique style
just because my back hurts a
little bit more than it did
when I was 15 years old.
But it's something that
I practice, of course.
That's one thing I tell kids.
Unless you practice you're
never going to
get better at something.
MARVIN CHOW: Well I think
there's not a goal keeper in
the world who is not terrified
when you line up
for that free kick.
So whatever you're doing,
keep doing it.
DAVID BECKHAM: I'll try.
MARVIN CHOW: And so we have a
couple questions live from
London, actually, from our
office in London, which we
wanted to have your
homeland people--
DAVID BECKHAM: Good evening.
MARVIN CHOW: --ask you.
Why don't you go ahead?
MALE SPEAKER: Hi David.
DAVID BECKHAM: How you doing?
MALE SPEAKER: My question is,
who's more likely to win a
World Cup in the future,
England or the USA?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHS AND CLAPS]
DAVID BECKHAM: Oh my God.
That's a terrible question to
ask me while I'm set here.
I'm going to have
to say England.
I'm really sorry.
I'm sorry.
I've got a lot of respect for
the U.S. players and the U.S.
team, and they've got some
very talented players.
But I believe, at some point,
England are going
to win a World Cup.
Because we have got a lot of
talented players in our
country, and we're very
passionate, and it's where the
game began.
So for me, definitely, I think
England are going to win a
World Cup at some point.
MARVIN CHOW: America's just
pacing themselves.
DAVID BECKHAM: The U.S. is a few
years behind us, but a few
years after.
MARVIN CHOW: Exactly.
JT?
JT: Hi David.
This is JT over in London.
DAVID BECKHAM: Morning,
afternoon,
evening whatever it is.
JT: Morning.
Well yeah, evening here.
So I've seen you play
a couple of times.
One of them was a tsunami
charity game you played in
Barcelona with loads
of superstars.
And I just wanted to know who
was the greatest player you
played with or against?
DAVID BECKHAM: OK.
Again, I've been lucky enough
over the years to have played
with some of the best players
in the world.
Obviously, being at Manchester
United, being at Real Madrid,
being at AC Milan, these are
three of the biggest
clubs in the world.
So, obviously, there's some
great players there.
Being able to play with Eric
Cantona, I think, that was a
great thing.
He's a Manchester
United player.
Being able to play with a
player, Bryan Robson, that was
my hero and I wanted
to emulate.
But I think the best
player I've ever
played with is Zidane.
He's a player with a lot of
passion, a lot of skill, and
he's not just an amazing
player, he's a
great person as well.
The hardest player to have
played against was Roberto
Carlos, who's now actually
one of my best friends.
But even when I didn't know him
as well as I do now, he
used to kick the hell out
of me, the whole game.
But he had this cheeky
smile which--
you couldn't hate him
in any way possible.
But he's definitely the most,
the toughest, player I've
played against.
MARVIN CHOW: Claudine.
CLAUDINE: Hey David.
So my question is, if LA Galaxy
were to play in the
English premiere league, how
would they stack up against
the competition?
DAVID BECKHAM: We'd win it.
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
was that.
I think the Galaxy have been
great in the last two years.
We've been really successful
with, obviously, being close
to winning the championship
over the last few years.
But then, obviously this year
winning the championship,
we've got a lot of good young
players coming through.
Players that teams in Europe
are interested in.
So I think we'd do well
in the premiership.
It'd be interesting.
MARVIN CHOW: I think
you never know.
That's the beauty of the game.
I mean, I think, you work
hard, you train hard.
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, that's
what soccer's all about.
It's all about upsets.
It's all about teams that you
don't think are as good as
other teams going in
and beating them.
That's what the FA Cup is
all about in England.
Lower league teams go in and
they beat some of the best
premiership teams in England.
So that's what it's all about.
But I think we'd do
well over there.
MARVIN CHOW: That's good.
Maybe one day.
DAVID BECKHAM: It's might be a
bit cold for a few players in
December but we'd do well.
MARVIN CHOW: That's great.
JT mentioned the charity game
that you played, and I think
we've seen you do a lot of
philanthropic work throughout
your career.
I think we touched on it in
the UNICEF work in the
highlight video, and recently
we saw that you were in
Afghanistan visiting
some troops there.
Can you tell us a little bit
about what that trip was and
what you did there?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, I know
it sounds kind of a cliche,
but charities are one of
my biggest passions.
I've been lucky enough to be
involved with UNICEF as an
ambassador, and that's
something that
I'm very proud of.
But I want to do more.
Obviously, with my job, with my
travel it's very difficult
to go into the field and to do
different things, but I've
been able to go to places
like Sierra Leone.
And going places like that,
and seeing the change that
UNICEF are making to so many
people around the world,
that's one of my biggest
passions.
That's why when people say to
me, after my career am I going
to go into coaching?
I need to be passionate
about something that
I'm going to go into.
And coaching, I love coaching
kids, but I'd prefer to go
into the field and see the kids
in Sierra Leone or in
different parts of Africa and
around the world and coach
them because it's making
a huge difference.
Going to Afghanistan was
something that I'd always
wanted to do to see the
troops, of course.
When I ruptured my Achilles two
years ago, I had some time
off, obviously.
And I thought OK, I need to put
that to do something good,
and I had the chance to
go to Afghanistan.
It was a secret at the time but
then, obviously, by the
time I got there it was out.
But it was a huge thing.
The job the troops do over there
in Afghanistan is really
incredible to see.
The conditions that they work
under, they're putting their
lives at risk every
single day.
And it must be gut-wrenching
for their families to see
their loved ones, brothers,
sisters, sons, daughters.
It's so many different levels
that it's difficult.
To go to Afghanistan was one of
the best things I've done
in my life.
MARVIN CHOW: Well I
think it must be.
I mean, with your work with
UNICEF since 2005, it must be
amazing to see, you as an
international football star,
how the game can bring such joy
or change people's lives
in these kids all around
the world.
DAVID BECKHAM: That's what's
great about soccer.
I've said it so many times,
that when I was in Sierra
Leone, these kids are walking
about with literally no
clothes on.
But you arrive, you put a soccer
ball in front of them,
they play like my kids play.
And that's what soccer can do
for you and do for kids and do
for families.
For that 90 minutes, you're
driving along the street and
like I said, there's kids with
no clothes on and running
around with no shoes on.
And then you look over and
then kids are watching
premiership games on the
side of the street.
It can change people's lives.
It can, for that 90 minutes of
a game, it takes them away
from the life they've got
every single day.
And that is the power
of soccer.
It's the power of sports.
It's something that's one of the
reasons why I love being
involved in sports.
MARVIN CHOW: It is amazing.
So moving on a little bit, as
we looked through all the
questions that we got coming
to you, I think
unsurprisingly, there were a lot
of questions from people
who are curious about
your personal life.
I think, when you marry
a Spice Girl,
I guess that happens.
DAVID BECKHAM: Yes, it does.
MARVIN CHOW: But I think, before
we get to all of those,
one of the more overarching
questions that everyone had
and everyone wants to know, what
was it like to be at the
wedding of the decade?
The royal wedding last April,
what was it like to be there?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, we had to
pinch ourselves when we got
the invite.
I've become friends with
Prince William and
he's a great guy.
And obviously, Harry as well.
And I was brought up around the
royal family to love the
royal family.
My grandparents were
big royalists.
And so we were brought up to
love the royal family.
And I think when, obviously,
Princess Di was around, the
love for her and for the royal
family was incredible.
And she was loved by millions
and millions of people, not
just in our country.
And then obviously, you watch
the lives of William and
Harry, and you see everything
about them, and it's kind of
like the Truman Show.
They're growing and growing and
doing different things and
being part of different
charities, and growing up from
young boys to young men
and to grown men.
And it makes you proud to be
English to see that happen.
You watch their lives.
You watch what they've been
through, and then you watch
them grow into the people
that they are today.
And they're very
special people.
The royal wedding was a huge
thing for our country.
To have a celebration like that,
it was very special.
It gave our country a huge lift
at the time, and it's
continued to do that.
But being at the royal wedding
was incredible.
MARVIN CHOW: Any stories?
Any favorite parts?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, one of
the best things about it for
my wife, she was eight months
pregnant and she was worried
about where we were going to be
sitting, as she needed to
be as close to the restroom
as possible.
And our seat was perfect
because we could see,
obviously, William
and Kate walk in.
But then, obviously, Victoria
could then-- she was like five
steps away from the restroom,
which was perfect.
So it was an amazing day, and
I'm proud to be a part of that
as an Englishman.
MARVIN CHOW: That's great.
Well, speaking of Victoria and
being pregnant, Nur Ikisi has
a question about Harper.
The question is, has Harper
spoken her first word yet?
What was it?
And if not, are there any
playful competitions between
you and Victoria to
see if she'll say
mommy or daddy first?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, I think
naturally the first word is
going to be mama.
And she's close to it already.
She's saying a few things, but
I've obviously got three
amazing boys.
And with boys--
I'm sure people that have
children know, or people who
have been around
children know--
with boys you can
throw them up.
They drop and they get up and
they just run around.
And with boys it's like that.
But it's obviously my
first experience of
having a little girl.
And still, I'm changing her
diaper and I'm thinking, I
can't believe I've got a girl.
So everything about
her is feminine.
The way she moves, the way she
eats, the way she smiles, the
way she looks--
you know, everything about
her is feminine.
And I know it sounds obvious,
but it's an amazing thing
having a little girl in
the family now after
having three boys.
But the best thing
about it is she's
got three older brothers.
MARVIN CHOW: Well I
have to say she--
DAVID BECKHAM: And a dad.
MARVIN CHOW: --I have to say she
is an impeccable dresser
from what I've seen.
DAVID BECKHAM: Her wardrobe
is ridiculous already.
I'm glad I got a two-year
contract.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER]
MARVIN CHOW: Very good.
Well, staying with that, I mean,
obviously, with three
boys and now a girl and
Victoria, Andreas Rubio
Barigga asks, how do you
keep the balance
between work and family?
Obviously, you've got a hectic
life around the world.
What's that like?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean,
obviously, as a
family we're very busy.
As a couple we're very busy.
Victoria's got a collection
that is, obviously, doing
unbelievably well.
But there's a lot
of pressure that
comes with that, obviously.
I'm working every day.
I play and train every day,
so it's difficult.
But like I said before, our
number one priority is our
children and our family.
Nothing else gets in
the way of that.
When I'm away, Victoria's at
home with the boys and Harper.
When she's away, vice versa.
So we're very hands-on
parents.
I take the kids to
school every day.
I pick them up every day.
We go to Taekwondo.
We go to soccer.
We got so many things that
we do with the kids.
And like I said, we're very
hands-on parents.
So our lives, our busy lives
don't affect the
children in any way.
But the children understand
that we work
very hard as well.
We've got a very good
balance there.
MARVIN CHOW: It's amazing to see
people as busy and hectic
as you and Victoria can still
take your kids to Taekwondo
and be as hands-on.
I think it's--
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, it sets
the kids up for life, I think,
the way you are with them at a
very young age, and we've got
very special kids.
MARVIN CHOW: Earlier you were
talking about, obviously, the
travel with the Galaxy,
and you've lived in
Italy, Spain, the UK.
Carolina Ramos asks, where
is your favorite
place in the world?
DAVID BECKHAM: Favorite
place in the world?
I would have to say--
funnily enough, I love Paris
as a city, funnily enough.
And that was, obviously, one of
the offers that I got to go
and play there.
But I love Paris.
As a city it's very romantic.
It's this amazing culture,
amazing food and wine.
But I'm very proud to be
English, and London--
there's not many better places
in the world than London.
MARVIN CHOW: Very good.
I'm sure our London Googlers
will be very
happy to hear that.
DAVID BECKHAM: I hope so.
MARVIN CHOW: So while we're on
the personal life topic stuff,
I have to say, I promised some
fellow coworkers I would ask
you this question.
Please don't be embarrassed.
But I think a lot of people are
interested in what's up
with the new underwear
campaign.
DAVID BECKHAM: I knew
this was coming.
MARVIN CHOW: You know, I
mean, how big is it?
I heard Superbowl ad.
I mean, how big is this
thing going to get?
DAVID BECKHAM: Another pun.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER]
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, sorry.
I need some water.
Obviously, I was part of Armani,
a campaign for a
couple of years.
And that was a huge success.
And then, I was interested in
doing something along the
lines with my own range of
underwear and body wear.
So I got together with a few
people and part of my team and
we designed and made
everything.
And we had the product
already to go.
And then, H&M came in and they
said look, we can make this
better for you, and they did.
They're taking it to 1,800
stores, 40 different
countries, and it's something
that I could've--
probably it would have taken a
few years, but it wouldn't
have reached that level
of distribution.
So I'm very proud of it.
The pictures are good, which
I'm happy about.
The product looks great.
MARVIN CHOW: That's the most
important, of course.
DAVID BECKHAM: So
that's exciting.
I'm launching on February 1st,
so it's going to be exciting.
That's in London.
MARVIN CHOW: So Superbowl ad?
No?
Can you say?
DAVID BECKHAM: There's a
Superbowl ad, which is very
exciting because the amount
of people that watch the
Superbowl, actually, is going
to see the advert.
MARVIN CHOW: The worlds
of football colliding.
DAVID BECKHAM: Which I
just thought about.
MARVIN CHOW: Very good.
Very good.
A couple more questions
on the personal side.
Ntiaz Adjaz asks, I was
wondering, are you considering
starring in a film
with Tom Cruise?
DAVID BECKHAM: I would
love to star in a
film with Tom Cruise.
Who wouldn't?
People have asked me over the
years, especially when I first
moved to LA, they were like,
he's obviously going over to
become an actor.
And I can't act.
It's as simple as that.
It's something that
I've never done.
I've been involved with,
obviously, adverts and
different--
I was involved in a couple of
movies that were about soccer.
But not major parts.
Not much talking involved.
So that was great.
But who knows?
Something might happen in the
future that someone comes up
to me and says you know, we want
you to play this person
and maybe it will happen.
But I don't think so.
It's not something that's
an ambition of mine.
MARVIN CHOW: You heard it here
first. Something might happen
in the future.
DAVID BECKHAM: Exactly.
Never say never.
MARVIN CHOW: Never say never.
Because you guys are
neighbors, right?
You live near.
DAVID BECKHAM: Yeah, we live
five minutes away.
MARVIN CHOW: Five
minutes away.
So no banter around
the recycling bin?
DAVID BECKHAM: There's banter.
But not banter that I could
say live on Google.
MARVIN CHOW: Gotcha.
Very good.
Very good.
One more question on this.
Deena Koh asks, are you feeling
nervous about your
first Google+ hangout?
DAVID BECKHAM: I'm
not nervous.
I'm excited.
being here today,
I was excited.
I woke up at 6 o'clock
this morning.
Gave the kids breakfast just
before I left and I was
excited about it.
It's something that I was really
looking forward to.
So not nervous.
MARVIN CHOW: That's good.
I think--
DAVID BECKHAM: Why?
Should I be?
MARVIN CHOW: No.
I think--
I think you're doing fine.
I think afterwards
it will be easy.
I mean, it's just video
conferencing with a bunch of
your fans, talking
face to face.
It seems like something
you'd really enjoy.
DAVID BECKHAM: It should
be fun, then.
MARVIN CHOW: And for those of
you who would like to watch
that afterwards, David will be
talking with some fans at
10:30 Pacific Time, right here
on his Google+ profile.
So I think now, we're going to
take some questions from
Googlers around the world.
I think we'll take a couple
questions live from here in
the audience, and some
preselected questions.
So any Googler that has
a question, please
begin lining up.
But we'll start with a
question from Michael
Complidger from London.
And he wants to know, did you
have a role model as a child,
and who was it?
DAVID BECKHAM: I had a role
model in football.
In soccer, sorry.
That was Bryan Robson.
He used to play for
Manchester United.
He was captain of Manchester
United.
He was captain of England.
He wore the number seven for
Manchester United and England,
and everything that he did I
wanted to do and become and do
exactly what he was
like as a player.
And I was lucky because I wore
number seven for Manchester
United, wore number seven for
England, and captained England
and Manchester United.
So I was very lucky
to have done that.
So he was a role model
that I looked up to.
MARVIN CHOW: Why don't we take
a live question over here?
AUDIENCE: Hi David.
With everything that you've
accomplished in your career
and your life in general, what
would you say is the most
meaningful accomplishment
that you've had?
DAVID BECKHAM: My family.
My family is--
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
DAVID BECKHAM: Aw.
It really is.
Obviously, I've done a lot in
my career and I've been able
to be successful in different
countries and different teams
and different leagues.
And I'm very proud of that,
but my proudest
possession is my family.
MARVIN CHOW: Why don't we
take one on this side?
AUDIENCE: Hi David.
I wonder if you could talk a bit
about the London Olympics.
Obviously, you were involved
in the bid at the time.
So are you hoping for a place
in Team GB and what would it
mean to you to play
at the Olympics?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, it's
exciting for our country to
host one of the biggest sporting
events in the world.
I think it's really exciting.
I think the buzz around England
and around London,
especially around East London,
where obviously, I was brought
up, it's exciting.
So yes, I would love to
be part of Team GB.
I've never been involved in an
Olympics, and when the team
came to me and said, we want you
to be involved in the bid
to get the Olympics to
our country, into
London, I wasn't skeptical.
But I was kind of nervous
because I'm not an athlete
that has performed
in the Olympics.
So I was worried what I was
going to bring to the table,
and what I was going to do to
help bring it to our country.
But to be there and to be part
of a successful bid to bring
it to London, I was
very proud.
It's one of the proudest
moments that I've been
involved in.
Especially, to be sat there one
side and then, the Paris
side was sat at the other
side, and all the media,
actually, had moved to in
front of the Paris team.
So we all of a sudden got
worried, and then we expected
Paris to be called out.
And then London came out, and
it was an exciting time.
It's going to be an
amazing game.
We're going to make it proud.
MARVIN CHOW: That's great.
We have a question from Anushe
Ganda from London.
And going back to the
proudest moment--
in your footballing career
so far, what would be the
proudest moment?
DAVID BECKHAM: Proudest moment
in my footballing career?
It would have to be
winning The Treble
for Manchester United.
The year '99 was a great year.
I got married, I had my first
son, and we won The Treble.
So it was a big year.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: We'll take a
question on this side.
AUDIENCE: Hi David.
Since moving to California,
what's the funniest
misunderstanding you or Victoria
have had because of
your accent?
DAVID BECKHAM: I'm not sure
we've had a funnier one then
as our children had
the other day.
We were sat there
in the kitchen.
Well, in our first year, and
Brooklyn was writing on a
piece of paper or drawing or
doing some sketching, and he
said, Daddy, I need
some rubbers.
And I started looking around and
I looked over and we had a
couple of friends there
from the U.S. and
they looked in shock.
And I didn't understand it at
the time but he now calls them
erasers, anyway.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER
AND APPLAUSE]
MARVIN CHOW: That is awesome.
We'll take one on this side.
AUDIENCE: Hi David.
Thank you for coming.
Actually I don't
have an accent.
I just really like yours.
DAVID BECKHAM: That's
a great accents.
AUDIENCE: Thanks.
Yeah, so thanks for coming.
I'm wondering, after today's
hangout, do you have plans on
how you'd like to use hangouts
in the future, in terms of
engaging with your fans
all over the world?
DAVID BECKHAM: Well, I'm
hoping it goes well.
Then, there will definitely
be more.
I think-- this is the first
time I've done it, so it's
exciting to be able to hang
out with fans that have
supported me over the years
and throughout my career.
It's special, and obviously it
gives them a chance to ask me
questions that they've,
obviously, never been able to.
So I'm excited and hopefully
there'll be more.
AUDIENCE: Can I get a quick
picture with you?
DAVID BECKHAM: Of
course, you can.
MARVIN CHOW: Oh, it's
starting again.
AUDIENCE: You look handsome
by the way.
DAVID BECKHAM: Thank you.
You look very lovely.
MARVIN CHOW: All right, ready?
1, 2, 3, cheese.
There you go.
AUDIENCE: Thank you.
DAVID BECKHAM: No problem.
Nice to meet you.
MARVIN CHOW: Thank
you for coming.
Thank you David.
Back to the questions.
Darminder Singh from the San
Francisco office asks about,
throughout your career you
played against many teams.
Which particular team
or set of players
has left you in awe?
I think you talked about
players, but maybe you could
talk a little bit more on the
team side that you've played
against.
DAVID BECKHAM: I think teams
that I've played against that
have left me in awe--
I'd have to say the
Barcelona team.
Every time you come up against
the Barcelona team, they play
the game in such a great way.
But I think the one team that
I played against that were
amazing, it was where Ronaldo,
the Brazilian player, got a
standing ovation from the
Manchester United fans.
And that team, watching that
team, the way they played, for
me- it left you kind of in awe
of the players, of the setup,
of them as a club, and the
players that played there.
They had Zidane, Raul, Roberto,
Carlos, Ronaldo.
Little did I know I'd
be playing with
them the season after.
So that was exciting.
But they're definitely the
team I was in awe of.
MARVIN CHOW: That's great.
That's great.
Why don't we take a question
on this side.
AUDIENCE: Your wife's been
known to wear some pretty
ridiculously tall shoes.
I was wondering what
your opinion is
on your wife's footwear.
DAVID BECKHAM: I think
taller the better.
Put it this way, I've
not worn them.
She said over the years that I
wore her underwear, for some
unknown reason.
She said that live on TV, by
the way, which is not true.
But the shoes are great.
I love a pair of high
heels on a lady.
I like them.
MARVIN CHOW: Another high heel
question on this side or a
different question?
AUDIENCE: Hi David.
I have a question.
So if you were to pick a team to
beat, let's say, Barcelona,
so which one do you
want to choose?
And do you already have some
ideas to beat them?
DAVID BECKHAM: I think
to come up against a
Barcelona team is exciting.
You can never be worried about
playing against a team.
As great as Barcelona are, as
great as Real Madrid and
Manchester United are, we're
a team that's growing.
And we've got some very good
young players in our team.
And we've been able, like
I said earlier about the
interest in this league and
our team around the world,
we've had some of the biggest
players in the biggest teams
come over and want to play
against us in preseason games.
So we've come up against AC
Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid.
I was going to say Manchester
City but--
we've come up against some great
teams and it's great to
have that interest. So you
should never be worried about
who you're going to
play against.
MARVIN CHOW: We'll take one
final question over here and
then I'll--
AUDIENCE: One more, please?
AUDIENCE: Thanks for
coming, David.
I know you've been around
the league.
You've been around various
different leagues.
Where would you like to finish
your soccer career at?
Would you like to go back
to Manchester United?
Do you want to stay
in America?
Or, do you want to tackle
a league that
you've never been to?
DAVID BECKHAM: I mean, my next
birthday in May I'll be 37.
AUDIENCE: Still really young.
It's really young.
DAVID BECKHAM: In soccer years
it's not so young.
AUDIENCE: But in Beckham years
it's really young.
DAVID BECKHAM: In
life it's young.
And I still feel young.
So I'll continue to play the
game as long as can.
I love it.
Every single day I enjoy
going to training.
I enjoy playing in games.
I enjoy being part of a team.
And my contract's now for two
years, so it will take me up
to almost 39, almost.
And then, we'll see.
I think people expected me to
move away from the Galaxy or
retire at the end
of this year.
So I'm excited about these
next couple of years, but
we'll see what happens
in the future.
MARVIN CHOW: We do actually
have a shirt for you.
I'm not going to ask you to
autograph it, but we do have a
Google Beckham track jacket
which we would like
to present to you.
Thank you very much.
DAVID BECKHAM: Thank you.
Thank you.
MARVIN CHOW: We definitely want
to thank you for coming.
I think in addition to the track
jacket, all the Googlers
here in the audience, please
know that there's a Google+
David Beckham t-shirt
for everyone here.
It will be available in Benghazi
in Building 43 from
now until 11:00 AM.
I don't think David can
sign all of them.
So please be understanding
around that.
But please enjoy your
free t-shirt.
For those of you on the live
stream and for those of you
that have more questions, please
feel free to join David
at 10:30 at a hangout on
his Google+ profile.
Thank you very much, David.
We really appreciate it.
It was fantastic.
It was really appreciated.
DAVID BECKHAM: Thank you.
