TV Review: Netflix's Beckham documentary is back-of-the-net telly

The beating heart of Beckham (Netflix) is a relationship. And it’s not the one he has with Posh Spice. She’s in it alright, loads of it, telling us that she’d love watching David Beckham painting a wall because she loves everything about him.

Their loved-up life might be of interest but the real juicy stuff here revolves around David’s relationship with his father. Because this show should be called ‘Beckham’s Dad’.

He, Ted, is a constant presence through the first couple of episodes. 

We see him in the clubhouse of David’s boyhood club, telling us about the early years, how he taught his son the right way to kick the ball, why he videotaped all his matches and sent them onto clubs. 

Meanwhile, David’s mother Sandra tells us about the day Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson rang to discuss him signing for the club.

So far, so young lad made good. 

But jump forward 10 years, and Beckham is public enemy number one in England after getting sent off against Argentina in the World Cup. 

He’s threatened, spat at in the street, booed relentlessly by opposition fans when he plays for United the following season.

David Beckham with Alex Ferguson

Beckham is a brilliant piece of story-telling, but it’s particularly sharp here as we watch clips of the venom he had to endure on away days. 

Anyone else would have cracked, is the message, but not Beckham. 

Because in a mic drop moment in the second episode, Beckham reveals he’d been harassed from the sidelines all his life — by his father. 

We’re shown clips of him playing for his local club and the county, and there is Ted’s voice in the background, telling him to do better. 

David’s mother Sandra reveals that she asked her husband to tone it down, but Ted wasn’t having it. At this point, my wife and I both realised that Ted and Sandra were never filmed together. They have split up.

Beckham is adamant there are no hard feelings, and he wouldn’t have succeeded without his dad in his ear. 

But at times this feels like a passive-aggressive bit of score-settling, where the son is acknowledging the dad, while also wondering if he had to be such a dick.

It makes for compelling viewing. It helps that the story is three-dimensional, with other aspects of his life fleshed out with a huge cast of supporting acts. 

Roy Keane features on Beckham on Netflix

Alex Ferguson is there, acting like Beckham’s proper dad; Roy Keane steals the show Roy Keane-style by answering one question with a sandwich in his mouth. They even have Diego Simeone on, the guy Beckham kicked to get sent off at the World Cup.

Yes, the story is controlled by the Beckhams. But what a story, with enough football drama and celebrity eye candy to keep everyone glued to the TV. This is well worth a watch.