David Beckham - Why all the fuss then?

When you watch David Beckham with a ball you watch someone at the very pinnacle of their profession. The master craftsman, perhaps even a great artist! Europe is in mourning as he leaves for America and yet many in his new homeland aren't sure what it's all about.

Soccer is growing in The States, no question about that and its about to get a whole lot bigger. Many in The States cannot get excited about soccer but even they wonder what's so special about David Beckham playing soccer?

It was the Manchester United fans who first fell in love with him. Followed by England and Real Madrid soccer fans and to understand the Beckham phenomena you have to understand why they adored him so much. It wasn't his ball skills, his hair style, his choice of bride etc.

David Beckham has won the hearts of the teams fans he has played for because of his determination, belief in himself and most of all, because he simply never ever quits. When others around him are hanging their heads and giving up a lost cause, Beckham is running like his life depends on it. He'll chase that ball right up until the referee ends the game and he'll believe the game can still be salvaged up to the very end. It is this playing "with his heart on his sleeve" mentality that will win over the American sports fans.

He is of course the worlds greatest crosser of a soccer ball which helps win the fans over and his free kicks still rank him along side the worlds best dead ball specialists. But even these skills are acredited to his never give in spirit and his will to succeed. David was never a great natural player, someone born with a gift like a George Best or a Maradona. His skills were learnt as a necessity because as a young player trying to break into the first team at the great Manchester United the young David Beckham had a problem - He could not get past a defender!

He soon realized if he was to progress under the ever watchful eye of the great coach Sir Alex Ferguson he needed a solution. So instead of trying to beat the defender and losing the ball he simply learnt to cross the ball into the danger area for others, learning how to make it swerve around the defense and thereby completely removing the need to worry about a little thing like defenders!

All this practising with a moving ball meant his dead ball skills went through the roof and he soon established himself as Manchester United's and then England's free kick specialist. His peers regard him the finest free kick taker in the world.

European soccers loss is the gain of MLS and soon L.A. Galaxy fans and arm chair fans throughout America will be able to see why European fans adored him so much.