Beckham earns £45m a year in ‘retirement’ ... but still can’t top ex-sports stars’ rich list
HE was known as Goldenballs on the f ootball pitch – and now David Beckham appears to be enjoying his golden years in retirement.
The former England captain is the second highest earning retired sportsman in the world after raking in £45million last year.
Beckham, 40, has continued to make millions despite quitting the game in 2013.
He is second only to basketball megastar Michael Jordan, who earned £69million last year despite having retired in 2003.
Beckham’s pay was so high because of lucrative endorsement deals with fashion firms. Sports brand Kent & Curwen pays him £5.5million a year, plus royalties on his designer collection.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is paid more than £3.5million a year by Chinese real estate firm Luneng and has contracts with Adidas, H&M and
‘Athletes are making more than ever’
Breitling watches. Beckham’s retirement earnings could even go up if he secures a football franchise in Miami.
Compared to his earnings now, his salary from football during his last year as a player for LA Galaxy was £3.4million.
In third on the retirement rich list compiled by Forbes magazine is retired US golfer Arnold Palmer, 86, who earned £27million, having retired in 2006.
Next is former NBC basketball player Junior Bridgeman, 62, who earned £22million from his restaurant franchises.
At No5 is former US footballer Jerry Richardson, 79, who retired from the NFL in 1960 but made £20million last year from restau- rant interests and his ownership of the Carolina Panthers team.
Others on the list include former golfers Jack Nicklaus, 76, on £18million, and Greg Norman, 61, on £10million. Pele, 75, who retired from football in 1977, still managed to make £9million last year from endorsements and rights to the forthcoming film of his life.
Beckham’s earnings are so high, he was able to bail out his wife Victoria’s fashion firm with £5.2million after she lost £3.8million in a year. Analysts at the London School of Marketing say Brand Beckham, the combination of the couple’s interests, is worth £508million – more than the Queen.
Forbes said: ‘Athletes are making more than ever thanks to money pouring into sports. Media companies have fuelled much of the growth thanks to the public’s insatiable appetite for live sporting events. But the rush of money often ends abruptly. The bankrupt former athlete is almost a cliche. The transition from the field of play to the real world can be harsh – then there are the athletes who thrived in their post-playing careers.’