Beckham speaks football's universal language at Real
David Beckham may not have learned much Spanish yet but the England captain had few problems communicating with his new team mates at Real Madrid on Thursday.
David Beckham may not have learned much Spanish yet but the England captain had few problems communicating with his new team mates at Real Madrid on Thursday.
"There's a universal language of football," Real's sporting director Jorge Valdano told reporters at the club's training ground. "It was just very normal having him here."
Beckham hooked up with the Real squad for the first time on Thursday morning when the players convened for fitness checks ahead of the club's pre-season tour of the Asia.
The England captain, who joined the Spanish champions from Manchester United for a fee of up to 35 million euros, will fly out to China with the rest of the squad at 1500 GMT after a low-key introduction to life as a Real player.
A few dozen reporters surrounded his car as he attempted to leave the training ground, hoping in vain for a comment, but otherwise there was nothing out of the ordinary on Beckham's first day of work at his new club.
"David is a quiet player, timid even," Valdano explained. "There isn't much difference between having Beckham or (reserve defender) Borja in the dressing room."