David Beckham officially becomes the UK’s first billionaire athlete after doubling his net worth in one year
Topics: David Beckham, Celebrity Net Worth, Celebrity
Phoebe Tonks
Featured Image Credit: Shaun Clark/Getty Images
Topics: David Beckham, Celebrity Net Worth, Celebrity
David Beckham has officially entered the billionaire ranks, making history as the UK's first-ever sportsperson to hit the massive ten-figure financial milestone.
According to the latest Sunday Times Rich List, Golden Balls and his wife, Victoria Beckham, have officially crossed the ultimate wealth threshold, with their combined net worth skyrocketing to £1.185 billion (that’s roughly $1.45 billion)
To put that into perspective, the iconic power couple managed to completely double their wealth in just a single year, climbing all the way up from an impressive £500 million ($666million) to the new lofty heights that surpasses the one billion mark.
But how exactly did he do this?
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Although Beckham's career was forged on the pitch, playing for high profile names such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain - it turns out his biggest post-retirement play wasn't actually on the pitch at all—it was across the pond in Florida.
A large chunk of the financial boost comes down to his genius investment in MLS side Inter Miami, which has only gone from strength to strength since he took ownership of the club in 2018.
Ever since Beckham managed to pull off the ultimate transfer coup by bringing soccer legend Lionel Messi over to the States, the club's value has soared.
The "Messi Effect" turned the franchise into a literal goldmine overnight, with fans and supporters from all over the world having followed the soccer ace to his new home on the pitch - and thanks to some savvy dealings, Beckham even agreed to get Messi to sign on for another 2 years, effectively securing his financial future for the forseeable.
Throw in a massive property development deal right next to the stadium worth a cool £370million ( $493million) and the windfalls just kept on coming for the former England captain.
The luxury complex built around Nu Stadium is just a stone's throw away from the soccer team’s new 26,700-seater base near the Miami International Airport and features a host of offices, shops, residential buildings and restaurants,split across the 131 acre campus.
But it’s not just David bringing home the bacon for the Beckhams, his wife Victoria has also been crushing it in her own right, with revenues for her luxury fashion and beauty empire officially topping £100 million ($133million) after years of building the brand.
Add in Becks' lucrative lifetime brand deals with heavy-hitters like Adidas, his wellness and supplements brand IM8, and his production company Studio 99 (which was behind that hit Netflix documentary), and the dividends are basically just printing themselves at this point.
The incredible achievement officially puts the Beckhams at number two on the UK's wealthiest sports list. They sit just behind former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and his family, who are currently sitting on a fortune of £2 billion.
Meanwhile, some other huge British sporting names are still chasing Becks' coat-tails on the wealth index. F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton is sitting pretty in fifth place with £435 million ($579million), golfing legend Rory McIlroy has climbed up to £325 million ($433million), while heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is sitting on a hefty £240 million ($320million.)
Not a bad shift at all, eh? We're just waiting for our invite to the mansion, David!