David Beckham’s “gift for glamour and goals”, trumpeted in the New York Times yesterday, transformed Major League Soccer (MLS) into one of the Big Apple’s hottest tickets this weekend. In Broadway bars, large television screens replayed images of his first goal for LA Galaxy - a trademark free kick into the top right corner in a midweek SuperLiga semi-final victory against DC United. From New Jersey through Harlem and into midtown Manhattan, Beckham and his black Cadillac Escalade required a police escort to make headway through the busy streets. Last night more than 60,000 people were expected to be at Giants stadium to watch him make his first start in an MLS game against New York Red Bulls.

All of which left Beckham expressing his gratitude at a packed press conference in an animated hotel for the “vibe and energy of this city” and its generous welcome.

The sharp contrast to the reaction of New England Revolution fans a week ago at Gillette stadium in Foxborough was a relief. Beckham’s appearance on the big screen there was booed by most of the 35,402 customers who had been forced to buy an expensive four-game ticket package to watch him play - or, in fact, not play because of his injured left ankle.

“The road to international soccer glory runs through EBA, Everywhere But America,” a Boston columnist warned Beckham as he and his “mediocre team no one has heard of” left town. But New York took its lead from Harlem, the resurgent inner-city neighbourhood in which he held a football clinic on an artificial pitch and even wooed young people from adjacent basketball courts. “David Beckham coming to Harlem, one of the most recognised, most culturally diverse communities in the world, and reaching out to the people here, sends a very powerful message that soccer is not just something that’s played ‘over there’ any more,” said Irvine Smalls, the executive director of FC Harlem Academy. “It’s here and we can play it too.”

Beckham, who had baseball mitts and basketballs thrust into his hands to sign, along with footballs, was moved by the experience. “Today’s been one of the best days I’ve had since coming to America,” he said. “We had about 35 kids participating in the clinic and many more checking it out, and the enjoyment was there on their faces. It’s not about kids with great soccer ability. This is about kids having a chance to go somewhere to have fun, to play the game and enjoy themselves. I’m not going to be silly and sit up here and say soccer is going to be bigger than baseball, basketball and American football, but we can raise it to a level that’s higher than it’s ever been, and eventually kids with the greatest ability will come out of places like Harlem because they’re hungry to win and get a better life. To be there today was so rewarding.”

If Beckham is to be successful in his evangelistic mission, he will first need to convert his teammates, for Americans respect only the language of winning and Galaxy have had a problem with this all season.

They headed into last night’s encounter with a Red Bulls side in which striker Juan Pablo Angel has shone since arriving from Aston Villa, scoring 10 goals in 13 games. Galaxy had won just three games, drawn five and lost seven and will need to win two-thirds of their remaining games to have a chance of reaching the playoffs.

Beckham’s influence will be compromised by his commitment to playing for England and reaching 100 caps, an exercise that will require him to set off for London this morning ahead of an international friendly against Germany before returning on Thursday morning to Los Angeles to play in a crucial derby game in the evening against Chivas USA. Having struggled to overcome an ankle injury in the early weeks of his MLS career, he is facing an incredibly demanding schedule, but he insists that he is up for this transatlantic challenge.

“Everyone knows that I want to play in as many games as I can for England,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve always taken seriously and will always take seriously until I stop playing for my country. That’s why I’m travelling from New York and will travel from LA or wherever I am in the world to go back and meet up with the team, because I’m honoured to be called into the England squad and I’m looking forward to the game on Wednesday, a big game. It’s a friendly, but I’m not sure that any game against Germany at Wembley can be friendly. I’ll be flying back early Thursday morning and arriving in LA at about 12 o’clock ahead of the [Chivas] game at seven clock. Hopefully, I get a bit of rest on the plane and come back to play.

“In the past three weeks we’ve done a lot of travelling around and it does get tiring, but if you take care of yourself on and off the pitch, you can cope with anything. It’s something I will get used to and I have to get used to, and I don’t think it will affect my performances for my country or for Galaxy.”

Beckham emphasised that proving people wrong has been a recurring theme in his career. “Hopefully, this continues,” he said, smiling. In New York, at least, his message reached a receptive audience.

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