David Beckham: Americans have finally accepted me as a footballer rather than a PR stunt

David Beckham is on the brink of winning his first trophy with LA Galaxy - and insists he’s now seen as a footballer, not a publicity machine, in the US.

The England midfielder is hoping to complete a remarkable turn-around in his American adventure just months after he was jeered and confronted by angry Galaxy fans for missing the start of the season to complete a loan spell with AC Milan.

Becks spell at Galaxy looked to be destined for failure, with his side inept on the field and unable to cope with the arrival of the world’s most famous player at the Home Depot Centre in July 2007.

There was controversy when a Becks book also gave an unflattering account of Galaxy’s dressing room problems, and a falling out with team mate Landon Donovan, which has now been patched up.

But since Beckham returned to action from his Milan loan spell Galaxy’s form has transformed and they are justifying having the league’s biggest wage bill, including the ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United players' £250 million five year deal.

Becks will return to Milan in January to keep his World Cup hopes alive, but can seal a successful season by winning Sunday’s MLS Cup final against Real Salt Lake City in Seattle.

“This is the year that people are talking about Galaxy as a football team and not just a publicity thing. There is more interest in football now here. New franchises, new stadia. It is getting bigger. Families and hard-core fans. It is not going to happen in five years but is heading in the right direction.”

On the brink of a trophy, Beckham was yesterday asked if he ever wanted to ditch his US experiment. “No, not at all, never. I always said that I would see it through.

“There’s never a smooth road. There are always a few bumps along the way and there has been. But that’s kind of been my career. There have always been ups and downs - more ups than downs but that’s the way it is, that’s life.’

“I always committed myself to the MLS and committed myself to Tim Leiweke the Galaxy owner and the whole franchise.”

The MLS cup final decides the league title and will be broadcast in 122 countries, in front of a 68,000 sell out, and Beckham added: “We’ve done well this season. We deserve to be where we are, but we still haven’t won anything.

“We might have won in our division, but it means nothing; you want to win everything. So that’s what we’re going for. We’re enjoying the success of the club and it would be nice to win the game.

“But there’s still a lot of hard work to do before then. We know it’s a tough game against Salt Lake, so we’re preparing and I’m sure we’ll be ready.”

England’s 2018 World Cup bid will save a £50,000 bill to fly Beckham to South Africa next month after Galaxy cancelled their tour of Germany. He was scheduled to need a private jet to make the draw with the FA paying half, but can now catch a scheduled flight.

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