The Japan Times - David Beckham gets Hollywood star as World Cup begins in US

Film legend Tom Cruise was on hand to pay tribute to Beckham, who he said had changed the face of football in the United States.

Former Manchester United and England captain Beckham, 51, told a throng of fans on the sun-kissed boulevard it was a "truly incredible moment."

"I've always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honor like this would come to a working-class English soccer player like me," he said.

"How fitting then that I am here today as we prepare to celebrate the opening here in the US of the 2026 World Cup.

"It's a powerful moment to recognize how the sport I love so much has grown in this country over the past three decades."

Beckham, who spent six seasons with LA Galaxy from 2007, said he was deeply honored to be feted by a Hollywood film megastar.

"To stand here in front of my friend Tom Cruise, the greatest movie star of our time, is quite frankly mind-blowing," he said.

"You welcomed us to LA 20 years ago, and you have been a loyal friend and an inspiration to me ever since," he told the actor.

The "Mission: Impossible" star said Beckham's tenure in Los Angeles had been a huge part of the growth of football on this side of the Atlantic.

Beckham's arrival "changed this sport in this country. People who had never watched football or soccer suddenly had a reason to.

"When David arrived, Major League Soccer had 13 teams. Today, it has 30. That's the impact we're celebrating today: not just an extraordinary career, but a legacy that changed the trajectory of a sport."

Beckham's wife, Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls and now a fashion designer and businesswoman, said football was booming in the United States.

"Soccer in America is entering one of the most exciting chapters in its history, which makes this incredible honor feel all the more timely," she said.

The United States, which hosted the World Cup for the first time in 1994, is co-hosting this year's tournament alongside Mexico and Canada.

The US national team makes its debut in Los Angeles later Friday against Paraguay.

Beckham retired in 2013 after two decades with some of the world's most famous football outfits, including Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

He later invested in Inter Miami CF, which signed Argentine superstar Lionel Messi in 2023 and won the MLS title last season for the first time in its history.

Beckham also ventured into the entertainment industry, founding the content production company Studio 99 in 2019.

T.Kobayashi--JT