David Beckham: the football, the wife, the lifestyle

Given a rock music soundtrack, a tickertape parade and cheered on by thousands of screaming fans, the unveiling of David Beckham by LA Galaxy this evening had all the razzmatazz you expect from football's biggest one-man brand.

Signed to a five-year deal that will earn him a basic £2.7million annually, the boy from Leytonstone did not disappoint either, showing a humility and respect for his new home that will have pleased both his employers and the adoring crowd.

"Potentially in the States, soccer could be as big as it is everywhere else around the world," he said. "I'm very proud to be part of that for the next five years and maybe a few more after that."

Having recently won La Liga with Real Madrid and earned a recall to the England team, reports had suggested Beckham would seek a one-year loan deal with a European club.

Speaking at his new club's Home Depot Centern stadium today, though, he confirmed that he is ready to put down roots in Los Angeles - while not giving up on his rejuvenated England career.

"In my career I've played for two of the biggest club sides in the world, Manchested United and Real Madrid, and played for 11 years for my country - and still am playing for my country.

"I've always looked for new challenges in my life. My family have moved to Los Angeles. For me, the most important thing is my family. And the second is football . . ." he said, forgetting his audience, "soccer, I'll get used to that, I'm sorry."

In front of 600 members of the press, Beckham took a specially constructed stage beside Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy president, Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles, and Don Garber, the commissioner of Major League Soccer.

Lalas, also the club's general manager, opened the press conference by predicting that the former England captain will help to lift the profile of his sport significantly in the United States.

"David coming here is not about what will happen here today but what will happen tomorrow," he said. "David can help make Major League Soccer one of the great professional sports leagues in America and one of the great soccer leagues in the world."

Wearing an LA Galaxy shirt, and possibly spying an opportunity to win political favour, Villaraigosa was even more exclamatory in his appraisal of a transfer that was agreed in January.

Unmoved by jeers from pockets of the crowd, he cried, "Why says LA doesn't love soccer? Do we love David Beckham? Ah, come on, do we love David Beckham?"

For the moment, a lot of people love him. Whether they will stay enthralled in a land that gave birth to the fickle cult of the celebrity remains to be seen.

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football