Marriage changed Beckham - Fergie

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has revealed how he felt David Beckham became a "different person" after his marriage.

Ferguson guided England captain Beckham through the ranks at Old Trafford but the pair’s relationship broke down, culminating in the player’s £25m (€36m) move to Real Madrid this week.

In an interview in the Sports Illustrated magazine, published in New York yesterday, Ferguson speaks of how he saw Beckham’s life change after meeting his future wife, pop singer Victoria.

Ferguson said: “He was blessed with great stamina, the best of all the players I’ve had here.

“After training, he’d always be practising, practising, practising. But his life changed when he met his wife. She’s in pop and David got another image. He’s developed this "fashion thing".

“I saw his transition to a different person.”