Ranking David Beckham's career in kits - from ugly to iconic | OneFootball

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Golden Balls is back! Just like it was back in the 90s, the name David Beckham is on everyone's lips. Streaming giants Netflix recently released a documentary on the former Manchester United, England, Real Madrid and AC Milan star, titled 'Beckham,' and includes input from football stars across the globe.

Former boss Sir Alex Ferguson appears in the documentary, as does Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, whom Beckham famously kicked out at during the 1998 World Cup in France. All of this makes for an intriguing watch for any football fan, but this got us thinking...which were Beckham's most iconic kits?

Content creator and football shirt collector Ollyhud is a trusted name when it comes to the fashion side of the game. His kit rankings are a must-read for football fans and fashionistas alike, and he has an opinion on everything from crazy early 90s patterns to the recent spate of modern classics.

There's no doubt about it; for years, David Beckham was an English icon and is still one of the main reasons many people fell in love with football to this day. His spells at United - along with Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG, bring back so many memories; The Champions League nights, the boots, the free-kicks, the hairstyles!

With his football journey taking him to some of the biggest clubs, wearing some of the most recognisable kits in world football, we look at David Beckham's career in shirts, rating each one out of 10. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

13 1992 - Manchester United (4/10)

Beckham broke through at Old Trafford as an Academy graduate in 1992. You know, the 'Class of 92,' with Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt. There's a film about it and all sorts!

Anyway, when he made his debut at just 17 years old, did anyone expect him to be the global icon that he became, both on and off the field? Not a chance. A glittering career at top clubs in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the MLS followed his debut; a career that included 115 England caps, many of those coming as captain.

But did a fresh-faced Becks stepping out for his first-ever Manchester United appearance do so in a legendary kit? Sadly not. To the hardcore United fans, this may be a shirt to remember, but for 99% of football fans, definitely one to forget.

12 1995 - Preston North End (2/10)

In 1995 Becks was shipped out on loan to Preston North End to get some first-team experience. Despite playing only five games as a right midfielder, he scored twice for the Lancashire side in a team that included future United boss David Moyes. Impressive stuff!

One thing that wasn't so impressive, however, was the Preston kit at the time. Yes, nowadays, it'll no doubt be an iconic kit for Preston fans, but let's face it - there's too much going on! The baggy sleeves, the yellow, the sideways sponsor... and then the Mitre ball and Asics boots, on top of that. Everything about this photo screams the 90s. This era was the pinnacle of football fashion. Sadly, this shirt will sit further down the league table.

11 1996 - Manchester United (7/10)

Look at that kit! Now we're getting somewhere. One of the most famous goals in the history of the Premier League, wearing Adidas Predators, with a solid United kit. To make it better, in long sleeves!

The Manchester United and Sharp (sponsor) days gave us so many incredible moments, with this being right up there. Plus, Umbro in the 90s just did things right. Nice kit, even better moments.

10 1998 - England (7/10)

For all England fans, this shirt brings back so many memories. The good, the bad and the ugly.

In terms of the good, there was securing qualification for the 1998 World Cup over in Italy, and then beating Tunisia in the opening group game with young guns Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville ready to wreak havoc at their first World Cup.

But then... Argentina. Yes, there was the good moment when Michael Owen scored that wonderful goal, but, for many, this kit reminds them of the bad. Sol Campbell's disallowed goal, Beckham's kick out at Argentina's Diego Simeone and, ultimately, getting knocked out of the World Cup despite being the better team and down to ten men. Great shirt, not so great memories.

9 1999 - Manchester United (8/10)

As we stated earlier, the Umbro and Sharp days were iconic, and there aren't many nights more iconic than this. Camp Nou; 1-0 down to Bayern Munich. A few minutes left on the clock. You know the rest. And the shirt? One of United's best.

8 2001 - England (10/10)

This. This is the shirt! When we think of Beckham playing for England, this is the shirt that pops into our minds. The last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford sent the Three Lions to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The 5-1 drumming of Germany in their own backyard. The 2002 World Cup itself. Throughout Beckham's 21-year career, he wore some beautiful football shirts, but in terms of both nostalgia and the design, none come close to this.

7 2002 - England (5/10)

When the 2002 World Cup draw was made, all eyes were on England and who they'd face in the group stage. It just had to be Argentina. A chance for us to gain revenge for the previous World Cup, and for Beckham, now captain of his country, a chance for redemption. And redemption it was. A 1-0 win thanks to a no-nonsense Beckham penalty. With ice in his veins, the England captain stepped up and expertly converted, sprinting off to celebrate. You could see just how much it meant to him after being made the villain following the 1998 World Cup in France. A nice shirt in England's famous red with long sleeves - a combo that served us well in 1966 - but a far cry from England's best-ever away shirts.

6 2003 - Manchester United (8/10)

The battles with Arsenal, Fergie vs Wenger, the flying boot! The days when Manchester United had a team full of superstars with Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rio Ferdinand - all fan favourites. 2002-03 was peak Barclays Premier League.

It was also Beckham's last-ever Manchester United shirt. After scoring 85 goals in 394 appearances for the Red Devils, Golden Balls swapped Old Trafford for the Bernabeu. Still, the shirt holds so many iconic moments and came at a time when Nike were on top of the football shirt game, thanks to the Brazil 2002 World Cup winners and Arsenal Invincibles.

5 2003 - Real Madrid (7/10)

Where do we start with this Real Madrid team? The iconic all-white kit, the Siemens Mobile sponsor, the shaved head, and the Adidas Predators on show. This was back when the Galacticos were in full swing. Roberto Carlos, Raul, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Michael Owen, Iker Casillas... the list goes on.

Although many believe the Galacticos era was a massive failure with no Champions League glory, the talent on show was clear for all to see. And they looked the part too. The 2004 glossy white shirt is a sleek design and is synonymous with Beckham's time in Madrid - for this reason, we've gone for a seven out of ten. Solid effort.

4 2007 - LA Galaxy (5/10)

Let's face it, Beckham's move to the States was groundbreaking for so many reasons, but the kits weren't one of them. This 2007 Adidas Teamgeist template is probably the best of a bad bunch, but nothing spectacular.

3 2009 - AC Milan (8/10)

When AC Milan drew United in the Champions League Last 16, the talk was all about Beckham's return to Old Trafford. It didn't quite go to plan for the away side, however, being beaten 4-0 on the night despite the likes of Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Thiago Silva being on the pitch. A Rooney double, Darren Fletcher strike and a Park Ji-Sung effort put United on course for back-to-back Champions League wins and through to the quarter-finals. The Rossoneri are famous for their horizontal red and black stripes, but the kit worn on Becks' Old Trafford homecoming was their change strip, black with red stripes. A spectacular effort.

2 2009 - England (4/10)

In 2009, the former England captain played his final game for the Three Lions in a shirt that just screams disappointment. A torrid time in South Africa with Fabio Capello in charge. Boring kit.

1 2013 - PSG (6/10)

In 2013, Beckham left the pitch in tears after playing his final game as a professional footballer. It was an emotional moment for all football fans after watching him give so much to the game over the previous 20 years.

In true Becks fashion, he bowed out in style as PSG overcame Brest 3-1, with the England hero even grabbing an assist as captain, from - yes, you guessed it - a corner. The shirt wasn't bad either. Throughout his spectacular 21 years as a footballer, David Beckham became an international icon... and his career in kits wasn't bad either.