Beckham Steals Limelight as Real Arrive in Japan
03/08/2003
Beckham Steals Limelight as Real Arrive in Japan
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TOKYO (Reuters) - The Real Madrid and David Beckham
show hit Japan Sunday to be greeted by 3,000 fans at the airport with a further
45,000 turning up for a training session at the Tokyo Dome.
England captain Beckham, who moved from Manchester
United to the Spanish champions for 35 million euros ($39.11 million) last month,
was again the center of attention as Real embarked upon the second leg of their
pre-season Far East tour.
A grinning Beckham, serenaded throughout by
Japanese fans who had paid 3,000 yen ($24.91) each to watch the one-hour
practice, sprayed Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos with water after being
teased for waving at the crowd.
But Beckham, who made his Real debut in a 4-0 win
over a Chinese select team in Beijing Saturday, said that the joking would stop
Tuesday when Real play J-League club FC Tokyo in a friendly.
"Obviously making my debut was an amazing feeling
but it is important that we get our fitness up," Beckham told reporters.
"We performed well in the last game and got what we
wanted and we are looking forward to our next game. We are taking these matches
seriously."
Earlier, hoards of female fans, many wearing Real
Madrid shirts, screamed as Beckham -- fast becoming used to the pop-star
treatment here -- passed through customs at Tokyo's Narita airport.
It was the same at the later training session.
Despite the presence of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Raul and Luis Figo in the Real
party, many of the fans only had eyes for the man from London.
Every time he touched the ball the crowd squealed
and cameras flashed all around the vast indoor arena, leaving Beckham a little
embarrassed by the special attention.
"It was an extraordinary feeling walking out there
and seeing how many people turned up just to see us train," the 28-year-old said.
Real are scheduled to play matches in Hong Kong and
Bangkok after playing FC Tokyo. Tickets for the Tokyo game, costing from 6,500
yen ($53.98) to 10,000 yen ($83.05) were snapped up within hours of going on
sale.
Beckham-mania gripped Japan on his last visit as
part of a promotional tour of the Far East that took place in June as his move
from United was being finalized.