David Beckham has been forced to argue more than once in his career that he has not been bought just to sell shirts, but it is something he continues to do spectacularly nevertheless. Major League Soccer (MLS) has revealed that around 300,000 of Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy replica jerseys were sold in the past year, three or four times the number of the biggest basketball or baseball stars in the United States.

The numbers were rolled out by Don Garber, the commissioner of the MLS, in an attempt to argue the success of Beckham’s move to California. The European perspective towards American club football remains one of disdain, a view reinforced by the weak performance of the visiting US team at Wembley on Wednesday night. There has been a marked reluctance of other big European names to join Beckham in the States.

The MLS hierarchy concede that they have an image problem overseas but argue that, within America, the growth of the league is a huge success story. Just look at the numbers, Garber claims. “Selling 300,000 Beckham jerseys, more than any other American sports jersey sold anywhere in the world — that is according to adidas, the No 1 shirt seller in the world,” he said. “It is more than Kobe Bryant, LeBron James [star players in the National Basketball]. Around 75,000 to 80,000 sales is good for a leading player.

“Many things have surprised me about David’s move. In a country which is known for its celebs, he’s recognised more even than I expected. I didn’t expect an athlete to be able to transcend [barriers] like some of the music and movie stars we have.”

The 300,000 figure is way below the estimated one million shirts that were sold worldwide in Beckham’s first six months at Real Madrid. The Spanish club claimed to have recouped his transfer fee of £25 million in shirt sales during his first season and revenue from club merchandise jumped 67 per cent.

At the Galaxy, Beckham’s deal gives him a cut of merchandising, so he will be cashing in with every No 23 shirt that flies off the shelf. On the business side of things, there has also been speculation that Beckham could take over an MLS franchise at the end of his playing career. “That is not something we have ever confirmed or denied,” Garber said, clearly relishing the prospect.

Oscar De La Hoya, the boxing great turned promoter, recently bought a 25 per cent stake in the Houston Dynamos and the MLS claims to have a queue of would-be investors. It is expanding the league to 16 teams and quite possibly beyond, including a new franchise in Seattle part-owned by Paul Allen, the Microsoft billionaire.

“More people watched the last World Cup final in America than, on average, tuned into the baseball World Series,” Garber said. “We are aiming to become one of the world’s top leagues. We might not get there in five years, we might not get there in ten, but dramatic progress is being made.”

There is no doubt that the league is growing, but the quality of the football remains poor, perhaps of Coca-Cola League One standard. The best young American players still dream of making their fortune in Europe and the MLS can hope to attract big names only at the end of their careers. Even then, there has to be shrewd investment.

“I am pleased our owners are going about it carefully,” Garber said. “We don’t just want players racing across the shores because they think it is the land of opportunity.” In the back of everyone’s mind is the cautionary tale of the boom and bust of the North American Soccer League of Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer in the 1970s.

For Beckham, who set up John Terry’s opening goal against the US with a typically accurate free kick, the standard does allow him to strike 70-yard shots into empty goals, as he did last week against the Kansas City Wizards with the goalkeeper stranded upfield. “I’ve heard there’s five million hits on YouTube,” Beckham said about the goal on his way out of Wembley. And perhaps more shirt sales.

First off the shelf

The best-selling football shirts

1, Fernando Torres, Liverpool
2, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United
3, Lionel Messi, Barcelona
4, Wayne Rooney, Manchester United
5, David Beckham, Los Angeles Galaxy
6, Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea
7, Steven Gerrard, Liverpool
8. Cesc Fàbregas, Arsenal
9, Francesco Totti, Roma
10, El Niño (Torres again)

Source: subsidesports.com global sales

Subside Sports is a global replica shirt retailer with bases in Britain, Germany, France, the United States and Japan. The firm stocks 5,000 different shirts.