David Beckham gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star as World Cup kicks off in LA

A star in Hollywood

Sir David Beckham received the 2,805th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, June 12, hours before the US-hosted portion of the 2026 World Cup opened. Rather than a traditional red carpet, the ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard featured a green, soccer-themed pitch carpet. Radio host Ellen K introduced speakers including actor Tom Cruise and Beckham’s wife, Victoria.

I’ve always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honor like this would come to a working-class English soccer player like me.

Beckham, now 51 and president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF, said it was a “powerful moment to recognize how the sport I love so much has grown in this country over the past three decades.”

Praise from family and friends

Victoria Beckham called the timing apt as soccer in the US enters “one of the most exciting chapters in its history.” Tom Cruise, who first welcomed the Beckhams to Los Angeles 20 years ago, credited the former England captain with transforming the sport’s standing.

David has changed this sport in this country. People who had never watched football, or soccer, suddenly had a good reason to do so.

Beckham’s American journey

Beckham joined Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy in 2007, a move met with skepticism from fans who questioned why the US was so slow to embrace soccer. Over six seasons he won two MLS titles and, his supporters say, helped lay the groundwork for a broader cultural shift. His 20-year playing career also included spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain; he retired in 2013 as the first English player to win league titles in four countries.

World Cup kickoff and celebration

That evening at Los Angeles Stadium, the US opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay. A Hollywood-style opening ceremony saw performers such as Katy Perry, Future, Anitta and K-pop star Lisa entertain a celebrity-studded crowd that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Halle Berry and Paris Hilton. Donald Trump addressed the team by phone from the White House, telling them they had “a really good chance of going all the way.”

Beckham had a personal message for his children at the late-morning ceremony.

Kids, I hope you bring my grandchildren here one day and tell them about a boy who dreams big to make you all proud — that is my greatest achievement.

An enduring legacy

Beckham’s post-retirement influence stretches beyond the pitch. He is co-owner of Inter Miami, the club that signed Lionel Messi in 2023 and won the MLS championship last season. His brand partnerships with Adidas, Bank of America, Hugo Boss, Stella Artois and Sands, as well as the Netflix docuseries “Beckham,” keep him at the intersection of sport and pop culture. The Walk of Fame organizers said the star recognizes Beckham’s role “in increasing the popularity of football in America and his lasting influence on sport, entertainment and global culture.”