⚽ David Beckham: From $25M to $650M (#65)

Andrew Petcash

This is a fascinating story of David Beckham where he pulled off one of the best moves in business as an athlete.

💰 Wealth Z 💰

First, some context...

David Beckham is a former professional footballer from England.

Some of his professional highlights include:

✅ Best Male Soccer Player 2004

✅ 6x Premier League Titles

✅ 2x MLS Cup Titles

✅ 1x La Liga Title

✅ 1x League 1 Title

It's safe to say he was a star player.

In 2007, Beckham made an unusual move. He left powerhouse Real Madrid to play in the United States.

Why?

His goal was to “make a difference” and improve the game stateside. Keep in mind that the MLS was only 10 years old at the time. And Beckham was a global superstar. His move didn't make sense to most.

But then it did. Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy. His base salary was $6.5M annually. However, Beckham also earned a percentage of the Galaxy's revenue. This netted him closer to $50M a year. And that's not even the best part...

An additional term stood out...

The option to buy an MLS expansion franchise at a fixed price of $25M.

There was only one rule ⬇️

Beckham retired in 2013 and exercised his ownership option 1 year later.

What city did he choose?

Miami.

It took 4 years before Inter Miami touched the pitch. But things are looking bright...

The MLS has been booming. Inter Miami is now valued at over $600M. Beckham has made a killing, but he's not done yet. He invested $15M more last year to increase his ownership stake.