As David Beckham sat and watched his star-studded Inter Miami team take on LA Galaxy on Sunday, the legacy of his first spell in American soccer would have hit home.

It’s approaching 17 years since the former England captain traded the Galacticos of Real Madrid to become the face of American soccer in Hollywood.

When he signed for LA Galaxy in 2007, Beckham – with one eye on the future – had a clause written into his contract that would allow him to own a MLS franchise in the future.

It was a shrewd business move at the time and allowed him to one day have his own piece of American soccer for just $25million.

So when he returned to LA with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and their Miami teammates last week, he would have been happy to see the impact he made is still going strong.

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David Beckham returned to LA Galaxy as Inter Miami co-owner last week as they drew 1-1

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After a successful spell as a player in LA, Beckham brought Lionel Messi to MLS last year

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Even though LA Galaxy have not been formidable on the pitch in recent years, passions remain high because of the rivalry that’s been ignited over recent years.

In what was once a market dominated by LA Galaxy and its high-profile recruits, the birth of LAFC in 2014 has certainly caught the imagination in the city.

Hollywood star Will Ferrell and NBA legend Magic Johnson form part of LAFC’s vast ownership group and they have made an immediate impact on MLS.

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Beckham won the MLS Cup twice with LA Galaxy, in 2011 and 2012, before leaving for AC Milan

The play at the purpose-built BMO Stadium, which also serves as home venue for the NWSL’s Angel City FC and seats 22,000, and regularly attract celebrities to their games, too.

Powered by Carlos Vela’s goals, they won the MLS Cup in 2022 and made it to last season’s final before being beaten by Columbus Crew. LAFC are expected to be in contention once again this season.

Their success has seemingly ignited a sense of tribalism in the city and games between the two – dubbed ‘El Trafico’ – are always a marquee occasion.

Last July’s meeting between the two saw a staggering 82,110 fans squash into the Rose Bowl – a new MLS single-game attendance record – to watch LA Galaxy win 2-1.

As for LA Galaxy, they have struggled in recent years and not managed to make it past the last eight of the playoffs since they won the MLS Cup in 2014 with Robbie Keane up front.

In that time, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Steven Gerrard have come and gone but they still possess a household name up front in former Manchester United star Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez and can call on impressive former Barcelona playmaker Riqui Puig.

Their performance against Inter Miami on the opening weekend of the season will certainly give cause for hope.

They managed to take the lead through Dejan Joveljic and only a piece of brilliance from Messi and Jordi Alba late on stopped LA Galaxy from taking all three points.

They’re expected to make the playoffs this season but are unlikely to compete for the title, unlike their relatively new neighbors.

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Beckham returned to Los Angeles to find a bustling soccer scene with two thriving teams

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The birth of LAFC has given the Galaxy a rivalry and ‘El Trafico’ is always highly anticipated

What’s for certain is that soccer, both in LA and the USA, is definitely in better shape than when Beckham arrived.

His move to California from Real Madrid sent shockwaves through global soccer in 2007 because of the underwhelming ability of the competition’s players and largely poor standard of facilities.

The former England captain’s initial struggles to adapt to life in MLS were laid bare in the recent hit-Netflix documentary about his career.

He recalled in one game – as he watched on from the substitutes’ bench – how the skill level of the players on show made him question whether he had made the right decision to move to America.

When he did eventually get on the pitch, he was thrown off by the American football lines that were still painted onto the turf. At one point, he couldn’t tell whether the ball had gone out of play or not.

By the time he left in 2012, Beckham had made 115 MLS appearances for the Galaxy, scoring 18 goals and winning two MLS Championships.

Fast forward to today and he’s now a co-owner of Inter Miami. Last season he managed to pull off the remarkable Messi signing and they won their first-ever trophy – the Leagues Cup.

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In his Netflix series, Beckham recalled how the American football lines would confuse him

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Last July’s meeting between the two LA teams saw 82,110 fans squash into the Rose Bowl

Inter Miami’s recruitment of Messi is even more remarkable when you consider he is still officially the world’s best player, recently winning his eighth Ballon d’Or.

Footage of Beckham refusing to celebrate Messi’s dramatic equalizer went viral on Sunday night.

Beckham was watching from a suite, alongside his sons Brooklyn (24) and Cruz (19), as well as Hollywood stars Liv Tyler and Edward Norton.

After Messi turned home a pullback from Alba, Beckham’s box exploded, with those around the Miami co-owner on their feet, celebrating with one another.

But Beckham stayed seated with a straight face, not wanting to disrespect his first home in America.

He may have hidden his delight when Messi scored but, as Beckham departed Los Angeles to head back to Miami, he will have been ecstatic knowing he played a crucial role in the city’s thriving soccer scene.