Becks Idol

It’s all going rather swimmingly for David Beckham across the pond; he’s hanging out with such cool cats as Justin Timberlake, learning to speak English with Elmo, and occasionally getting to play football against guys who can barely stand up. However, this weekend he’s nabbed two very prestigious awards which prove just how popular D. Beck is with the common American male. No, not in a Gay Times ‘Stud of the Year’ way either; in the space of 24 hours Becks was voted the numero uno Stateside sports idol by the hugely vacuous Teen Choice Awards, and also a US style icon by definitely-heterosexual magazine Men’s Health.

Nearly two out of three kids chose the LA Galaxy star as Best Athlete of 2008, beating out such national heroes as part-time rapist Kobe Bryant, super-human golfer Tiger Woods, and even foetus-headed Super Bowl sensation Eli Manning, who led the New York Giants to victory this year in the pinnacle of the US sporting calendar. More than 20 million viewers are expected to watch him receive the accolade from a disturbingly young lady called Miley Cyrus on prime-time TV tonight. Having made it his mission to win over kids and boost soccer’s popularity when he arrived in the US in July last year, Becks seems to be really earning his reported salary of £3.3million a year. The average Galaxy attendance at The Home Depot Centre is now more than 28,000 – a figure higher than Reading, Portsmouth, Fulham, Blackburn, Wigan and Bolton last season. Furthermore, MLS shirt sales rocketed 780% last year, and clubs are seeing a considerable leap in season ticket sales.

Anyway, D. Beck is featured on both the front and back cover of Men’s Health, the top-selling men’s magazine in the States. Dressed very sharply in a suit beside a boxing ring, Becks’ 1920s-inspired autumn style guide shoot is snapped by top music photographer Antony Mandler. I have no idea who that is but apparently it’s a good thing.