Who would have thought that a football player, from scoring goals on the field, could become a talented strategic investor in the business world?

David Beckham proves that passion and vision can work wonders. With an early investment of $25 million in Inter Miami, Beckham has now turned the team into an empire worth over $1 billion . This has made him not only one of the most successful businessmen in the sports industry, but also the man who changed the face of American soccer.

The first bold move

In 2007, at the height of his career at Real Madrid, Beckham made a decision that shocked the world: he left European football and joined the MLS in the US. In a country where football, baseball and basketball dominate, Beckham’s choice of MLS was a bold move.

Many people thought Beckham was betting on a bleak future, with some even mockingly suggesting he was just going to Hollywood to “be an actor”. But the former Manchester United star had a different vision, believing he could revolutionise football there.

America was like a forgotten gold mine. It looked unattractive, even inaccessible, but it was a place of great opportunity. Anything worth having requires patience and a long-term vision.

When Beckham arrived in MLS, the league had television rights worth just $8 million , and big games only attracted about 15,000 spectators. MLS player salaries were far from European standards.

Beckham, however, did not just come to America to collect a salary. He agreed to reduce his income from $18 million per season at Real Madrid to $6.5 million at LA Galaxy, but the contract contained important provisions for the future.

Under the contract, Beckham is entitled to nearly 50% of the profits from any additional revenue that LA Galaxy generates after he joins. That is Beckham’s strategic vision – “If this thing explodes, we share it.”

And it did explode. Attendances increased by 40%, and MLS’s television rights skyrocketed (from $8 million to $90 million in 2014 and to $250 million by 2022).

Beckham struggled at first in MLS, with injuries limiting him to just 40 appearances in his first two seasons. But in 2011, things changed. Beckham returned to his best form, winning two MLS titles and turning himself into the center of a football craze in the US.

The club’s commercial revenue has also skyrocketed. Thanks to ticket and jersey sales, Beckham’s annual income has increased from $6.5 million to $10.1 million . MLS, once an obscure league, is now actually generating significant profits.

More than just a player, Beckham has become a commercial icon, signing deals with major brands such as Giorgio Armani, Electronic Arts and Burger King. During his time at LA Galaxy, Beckham earned an estimated $255 million from endorsement deals.

MLS, from an unknown tournament, has now become a valuable product, and Beckham is the one who has changed the entire sports culture in America.

Historic move with Inter Miami

“Messi is a great player, but he has a lot to do to have the kind of impact Beckham had in MLS,” said Mani, a member of the “The Galaxians” (LA Galaxy) fan club.

Beckham was the trailblazer, the one who saw the potential of MLS early on. And he was right. But the most exciting things were yet to come.

Beckham’s contract with LA Galaxy included a special clause: he had the right to buy a new MLS franchise for just $25 million . In 2014, shortly after retiring, Beckham decided to exercise this clause and began the process of founding Inter Miami.

This is a great move, because today, it costs about $582 million to start a new MLS club . And that’s not the most impressive part: from an initial investment of $25 million , Beckham now owns a club – Messi’s Inter Miami – that is valued at nearly $900 million .

Few believed in Beckham in the winter of 2007, but he proved them all wrong. Looking back, Ramón Calderón’s quote: “He went to Hollywood to be an actor… what a shame,” now seems laughable.

Although Beckham has starred in films like King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Operation UNCLE, that is not his main goal. Beckham has changed the entire sports culture in America. From a league worth only $8 million in broadcasting rights, MLS is now worth nearly $300 million .

Beckham saw potential early on and after much effort, he successfully realized his “American Dream”.