LA Galaxy's Newest Superstar Shines at Home Depot Center
By Atoosa Arfa
OnlineTickets.com
On July 21, 2007, David Beckham finally played his first and much-hyped LA Galaxy soccer game against England's Chelsea club.
Although the LA Galaxy eventually lost to Chelsea 1-0, the event proved to be star-studded, lively, and unforgettable, and set the stage for an energetic atmosphere likely to be experienced at Carson, California's Home Depot Center for the next five years during David Beckham's tenure as LA Galaxy midfielder.
The main question: Was David Beckham's performance worth the months of frenzied media hype?
The answer: Most definitely.
During the game, Beckham was haunted by an ankle injury he received after playing against Estonia for the England team last month, and earlier reports had claimed that Beckham may postpone his LA Galaxy debut to a later game, when his ankle heals. Yet Beckham, who has been known in the past to prove his doubters wrong, persevered and played a fantastic 12 minutes for the LA Galaxy, entering the game in the 77th minute amid hordes of cheers and applauses.
The ovations didn't stop there – every time Beckham touched the ball, the entire Home Depot Center roared with jubilation. Beckham even gave the crowd a sample of his famed corner kick, although it did not end up in a goal. At one point, the stadium experienced a minor scare, when Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell aimed to steal the ball from Beckham, which followed by Beckham lunging out his right foot to fight back and getting crunched in the mess, falling and clutching his injured left ankle in pain. Yet the stadium's elations proved Beckham's star power throughout the match, and Beckham himself proved to be a great sport, demonstrating enormous enthusiasm throughout the game by constantly keeping watch from the sidelines and cheering on his teammates. Beckham even cheered for Chelsea's John Terry, one of his teammates on the England squad, who scored a goal in the game's 49th minute and eventually secured Chelsea's 1-0 win.
Although the LA Galaxy did not win that night, Beckham is sure to please fans in the remainder of his five-year contract with the MLS. Earlier in the summer, England head coach Steve McClaren and the now-sacked Real Madrid head coach Fabio Capello had dropped Beckham from their respective teams for sub-par performances, the former in last year's World Cup in Germany and the latter earlier this year in February. Both teams, however, recalled Beckham back, and with Beckham's help, England qualified for the Euro 2008 and Real Madrid won its first La Liga title in four years. David Beckham may not have performed to his usual standards in this first game against Chelsea, but once his ankle heals, this soccer sensation can be expected to work the field and truly "bend it like Beckham" for his American fans.
Shouldn't be too hard considering his fans and celebrity friends showed up early to support the European phenom. The festivities began before the match as a red carpet was laid out outside the Home Depot Center, welcoming wife Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham as well as Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Eva Longoria, Mary-Kate Olsen, Alicia Silverstone, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Love Hewitt, "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many more celebrities who attended this highly publicized soccer match.
It could seem a mere presumption that David Beckham's arrival to the LA Galaxy has certainly thrilled Hollywood, a presumption that is only heightened by the next day's exclusive A-List, invitation-only party, hosted by Tom Cruise and Will Smith at downtown Los Angeles' Museum of Contemporary Arts, to commemorate the British soccer superstar's premier Galaxy appearance the day before. The celebrity spectators at the July 21 game attended this celebratory bash, as well as Beckham's manager Simon Fuller and a slew of actors, directors, and producers, including Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Wesley Snipes, and Quincy Jones.
However, celebrities weren't the only ones craving some more soccer, and specifically, more Beckham. The Home Depot Center held a sold-out crowd of 27,000 for the July 21 game, and spectators included both soccer fans and soccer newbies alike. Most of them came for Beckham, but many came for the love of the game. Most rooted for the LA Galaxy, but a few cheered for Chelsea. Yet no matter who the crowd chose to support, the Home Depot Center's atmosphere was certainly feverishly animated and energized throughout the game, and there is no doubt that David Beckham's debut Galaxy appearance was the reason.
Secure your highly on-demand LA Galaxy tickets from OnlineTickets.com to experience the sheer madness and exhilaration of an LA Galaxy soccer match featuring David Beckham. Also, keep watch for David Beckham's next appearances as the LA Galaxy plays against Pachuca on July 24 and CD Guadalajara on July 28!
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