English soccer legend David Beckham is known for his prowess in taking free kicks. When it comes to doing business, Beckham is as skillful as the free-kick taker he once was. Since his days as an active player and throughout his retirement, the Manchester United legend has been multiplying his hard-earned fortune on the back of lucrative deals and endorsements. Now, boasting a staggering net worth of approximately $450 million, the English star once raked in more from a video game than from playing soccer.

David Beckham hung his boots in 2013 after his second stint with Paris Saint-Germain. Years later, soccer buffs witnessed Beck’s action once again. Well, not on a real soccer field, but on Xbox and PlayStation. Interestingly, the video game has paid Beckham more than any of his celebrated soccer clubs.

How David Beckham made ‘easy money’ from a video game deal

During his storied soccer career, David Beckham took his talents across different teams on both sides of the Atlantic. He decorated his resume by adding coveted soccer league titles such as the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League, and Ligue 1, among others. On the back of this everlasting legacy, EA Sports’ video game, ‘FIFA 21’ had featured David Beckham as a special player known as ‘Icon.’

Icon players are those retired players who would be remade in-game as their prime selves. Soccer’s all-time greats such as Pele, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho Gaucho, among many others, have been featured as icon players in different versions of EA Sports’ FIFA games.

According to a report on Mirror.co.uk, EA Sports offered Beckham £30 million over three years to feature on FIFA 21 as an icon. Beckham did feature, but he got a way better deal. Then, the Manchester United legend won a three-year  £40 million three-year deal to appear in the video game. “It is a big addition to the Beckham brand and the easiest money he’s ever made,” a source told Mirror.

Beckham’s video game contract in comparison with mega deals in his career

During his playing stint, Beckham signed a four-year €37 million contract when he joined Real Madrid in 2003. Later on, in the LA Galaxy, he raked in a whopping $500 million. However, numerous lucrative endorsements, revenue sharing, and licensing had contributed to this staggering sum than his base salary. Then, the MLS side paid Beckham approximately $6.5 million per year for five years.

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Beckham’s tryst with EA Sports FIFA games can be traced back to 1998 when he appeared on the cover of FIFA 98. Then he went on to become the brand ambassador for an exercise video game called EA Sports Active 2. A couple of other video games other than EA Sports’ games have also featured the English legend. Sure enough, these video game appearances have helped generations celebrate Beckham’s legacy. Apparently, they stand out in Beck’s impressive resume of endorsements.

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