Cover Sir David Beckham attends his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in Hollywood, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sir David Beckham attends his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in Hollywood, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
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As the first football player with a star on Hollywood boulevard, Sir David Beckham grew from a young icon at Manchester United to owning a stake in Inter Miami CF and joining the leagues of the world's richest people
Football legend, entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir David Beckham is now the first football player with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. In June, he was honoured in Los Angeles with the 2,849th star on Hollywood Boulevard, alongside other sporting legends like basketball player Shaquille O'Neal and boxer Muhammad Ali.
In an Instagram post following the ceremony, Beckham wrote: “Los Angeles holds such a special place in my heart…I came here with a dream of what soccer could be in the US…to be recognised for the part I’ve played in helping grow the sport I love means so much.”
In May, Beckham also officially joined the billionaires’ club. According to Forbes, the superstar’s net worth has reached an estimated US$1 billion as of this May—and aside from decades of career earnings, Beckham built his wealth through brand partnerships, business ventures and investments.
Read more: You can be David and Victoria Beckham’s neighbour in this luxury Miami Beach villa for US$10 million
Beckham, who began playing professionally in 1992 and retired in 2013, earned millions at Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan on loan and Paris Saint-Germain. But as part of his 2007 LA Galaxy contract, Beckham famously negotiated an option to purchase a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team for just US$25 million—a clause that was initially viewed as ambitious, even risky, at a time when MLS had yet to reach its current global profile.
He exercised that option in 2014 to co-establish Inter Miami CF. After years of stadium negotiations and early on-field struggles, the club’s commercial breakthrough came in 2023, when Beckham onboarded fellow football legend Lionel Messi as a player. The leap to launch Inter Miami paid off handsomely for the then-retired star. According to Forbes, Beckham currently owns a 26 per cent stake in Inter Miami CF and, at a valuation of a league-record US$1.4 billion, his stake is the most significant contributor to his wealth.
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Above Sir David Beckham observing Inter Miami players at practice. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sir David Beckham observing Inter Miami players at practice. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Outside football, Beckham’s business acumen has shone through his approach to building brands. In 2014, the year after he officially retired from football, Beckham and his wife founded DRJB Holdings Limited, a company managing his portfolio of ventures, including David Beckham Ventures Limited and his production firm Studio 99 Group. In 2022, he sold a 55 per cent stake in his brand business to Jamie Salter’s Authentic Brands Group for US$250 million in cash and shares.
Beckham’s success is also rooted in his approach to health and well-being. In 2024, he co-founded the direct-to-consumer supplement company IM8 alongside the Hong Kong-headquartered, Nasdaq-listed company Prenetics—led by Danny Yeung, a Tatler's Asia's Most Influential honouree. IM8’s products, including its popular all-in-one daily vitamin powder, have struck a chord with consumers: in the full year ended 2025, the brand reported its revenue surged nearly fivefold on year to US$92.4 million.
Read more: David Beckham and Prenetics officially launch IM8, an all-in-one daily supplement
Above Danny Yeung (left), co-founder and CEO of Prenetics, and Sir David Beckham. (Photo: Prenetics)
Danny Yeung (left), co-founder and CEO of Prenetics, and Sir David Beckham. (Photo: Prenetics)
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Meanwhile, Beckham's Studio 99 Group reported an annual revenue of US$15 million in 2024. One breakout success was the Emmy Award-winning autobiographical documentary, Beckham, which premiered on Netflix and drew over 3 million viewers within its first week. His portfolio has also expanded to include DB Eyewear, an eyewear brand; and Beeup, a honey-based snack brand for children and families. The latter was born out of David Beckham’s interest in beekeeping, which he developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, as he revealed in his Netflix documentary.
Above Sir David Beckham attending the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sir David Beckham attending the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Long regarded as one of England’s greatest footballers, Beckham was awarded a knighthood by King Charles III in November 2025. He now joins a rarefied group of just seven living professional athletes to reach billionaire status. The others, according to Forbes’ calculations, include basketball icons Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and LeBron James; golfer Tiger Woods; and tennis stars Roger Federer and Ion Țiriac.
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Cat Wang is an editor at Tatler Asia based in Hong Kong, where she covers business, wealth, innovation, and impact. Previously, she was a Forbes Asia reporter and assistant editor of the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, spotlighting startups and small companies on the rise across the Asia-Pacific. She began her career as a trainee reporter at the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s newspaper of record. Born in New York City, she graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a B.A. in political science.
