Beckham brand built to withstand retirement

Agencies | Updated: 2013-05-17 13:35

Life after soccer

Former South African President Nelson Mandela chats with England's soccer captain David Beckham at the Nelson Mandela Foundation office in Johannesburg, in this file picture taken May 21, 2003. [Photo/Agencies]

Managed by the XIX Entertainment group that has British motor racing driver Lewis Hamilton and Olympic tennis champion Andy Murray on its books, Beckham has been carefully planning for life after soccer.

"It's fair to say that Beckham has not been selling himself as a footballer for some time," said Joel Seymour-Hyde, of sports marketing agency Octagon.

Beckham has capitalized on his film-star looks and athlete's body to market underwear for Swedish fashion chain H&M and luxury watches for Swiss manufacturer Breitling.

There are signs too that the younger Beckhams are following in their parents' footsteps on the catwalk and soccer pitch.

One of their sons, Romeo, got a job as a model for fashion chain Burberry last year aged only 10. Teenager Brooklyn Beckham has been pictured training with youth teams at Chelsea and PSG.

Some media reports have suggested Beckham senior might one day buy a stake in an MLS soccer team in the United States.

Seymour-Hyde said Beckham's sporting career showed he had the strength of character and ambition to broaden his business horizons beyond working as a frontman for others.

"The ambassadorial stuff is relatively straightforward for him. He might eventually look for something more hands-on, a product or an event," he said.