David Beckham Netflix Doc “Doctored Truth To Spin Narrative”, Say Fact-Checkers
deadline.comThe latest phenomenon of sporting stars granting intimate access to documentary makers in exchange for positive coverage – The Last Dance and Drive to Survive on Netflix, Welcome to Wrexham on Prime Video – has found plenty of fans on the streaming platforms, but others are raising their eyebrows at what they claim is a cynically manipulated narrative to make the star look only good.
The UK’s Sunday Times has focused its investigative lens on the recent four-hour Netflix documentary series Beckham, recounting the rollercoaster career of footballing superstar David Beckham, and found six examples of what it claims is a case of re-writing history to make sure Beckham’s halo remains intact.
They include: World Cup match 1998 – In the doc, after Beckham is given a red card and sent off the pitch for fouling an Argentine player, the story goes that he suffered hostility even from his own Man Utd supporters until he redeemed himself at the end of the following season.
In fact, the Sunday Times reports, Beckham stayed in favour at his home ground from the moment he set foot back there. World Cup qualifier 2001 – in the doc, it appears as though Beckham is fouled on the pitch, seconds before scoring a dramatic goal from the resulting free kick and rescuing England’s hopes of going through.
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