David Beckham awarded Miami MLS franchise

After years of wrangling and complications over potential stadium sites, David Beckham has finally been awarded a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami, Florida.

The former Manchester United and LA Galaxy star appeared alongside MLS commissioner, Don Garber, at the Adrienne Arsht Center Monday where it was announced that the league’s 25th franchise would be based in the city.

“Our mission to bring an MLS club to Miami is now complete, and we are deeply satisfied, grateful and excited,” Beckham said in a statement released by the MLS.

Garber added that the league was “committed to bringing Miami the elite-level soccer team, stadium and fan experience it richly deserves.”

The Beckham franchise will be backed by Cuban-American businessmen Jorge and Jose Mas, CEO of Sprint Corporation Marcelo Claure, entertainment producer Simon Fuller and the founder of Japanese telecommunications firm SoftBank, Masayoshi Son.

There was no word Monday on the team’s official name nor the colors it will play in. Similarly, there was no announcement about when the Miami franchise will officially join the league.

A statement released on the MLS website revealed that the team will play in a privately developed 25,000-seat stadium within the city.

Although no location for the stadium was confirmed, local media reports land in the city’s Overtown district has been purchased by the Beckham ownership group.

Beckham, 42, first announced his intention to exercise his right to buy an MLS franchise in 2014.

The option was part of the lucrative contract the former England international captain signed when he agreed to moved to LA Galaxy in 2007.

Beckham, who also played for Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, spent five years in LA before finishing his career at PSG in the French capital.

With film star looks and Spice Girl wife Victoria, Beckham was one of the most marketable football players in the world over the course of his playing his career – even though he lacked the playing talent of contemporaries such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane.

Former US Men’s National Team and LA Galaxy coach, Alexi Lalas, told CNN last year that Beckham’s celebrity helped raise the profile of the MLS and pushed soccer to a new audience in the US.

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Updated 3:43 AM EST, Tue January 30, 2018

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‘Complicated’

Beckham’s plans for a franchise project, however, has been complicated since the beginning.

Numerous sites were considered for the team’s home before eventually being rejected or held back by red tape.

The Miami Herald reported over the weekend that a local landowner and neighbors of a slated stadium site in the city’s Overtown district were organizing to block zoning approvals required to finally begin construction.

Perhaps the man who started the trend. Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham was one of the first high-profile footballers to make tattoos a fashion statement. His first was in 1999 to mark the birth of his first child, Brooklyn. The 42-year-old is reported to now have more than 40 tattoos.

All an illusion? During his time with Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic removed his top to unveil a torso covered in ink. The Manchester United striker revealed this year that, at the time, he had 15 removable tattoos on his body which were "names of real people who are suffering from hunger." Those tattoos have now gone, but there's still plenty of ink left on Zlatan.

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James is another major athlete with major art work on his body. The world's most famous NBA player has "Chosen 1" on his back, to name just one, a tattoo he had done after becoming a cover star on a Sports Illustrated issue while still in High School.

Tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands adds color to the court in a variety of ways. The American has a tattoo of a large flowery design, which features honeybees, on the inside of her right arm.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has quietly been accumulating quite a collection over the years. The Argentine's left leg is now all covered in black from the knee down, except for 'No.10' and two hands alongside the name of his son, Thiago.

UFC star Conor McGregor has clearly been a regular visitor to the tattoo parlor over the last 18 months. He has a large tattoo across his abdomen and his left forearm, and a silverback gorilla wearing a crown on his chest.

Former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka has opted for a literary tattoo on his left forearm ...

The Swiss tennis player has the words of Irish poet and playwright Samuel Beckett written on his arm: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter, Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova has two Polynesian-style tattoos, one on her left thigh and the other on her left arm -- they come in useful when needing to tell her and her twin sister, Kristyna, apart.

PSG defender Dani Alves is one of football's characters. The former Barca star's arms are adorned with Catholic images and dedications to his family, while across his chest is his son's name in giant script.

NBA star Carmelo Anthony is one of many athletes who sports a sleeve -- a series of tattoos covering his arm. On his right arm is a flaming basketball with his initials, representing his commitment to his sport.

The upper half of NFL star Colin Kaepernick's right arm is covered in ink, as is most of his torso. Across his chest is written "Against All Odds" while down his arm is the word "Respect."

US high jumper Inika McPherson caught the eye at this year's World Athletics Championships in London. The 5ft 4in athlete has reportedly over 30 tattoos.

It's impossible to miss Chile and Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal on the pitch. The footballer sports a Mohawk and numerous tattoos and last year added to his collection -- an image of an insulin pump -- in tribute to his son who has Type 1 diabetes.

American footballer Natasha Kai, who made her international debut in 2006, has a unique style and famously appeared on TV show "LA Ink."

British swimmer Adam Peaty had a lion inked on his left arm after winning two Olympic gold medals in Rio in 2016.

Ink art: The most eye-catching tattoos in sport

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Back in December, Garber said at his annual “State of the League” address that the Miami franchise was the “most complicated” he had been involved in during his time at the MLS due to the complexities of the local political scene and property market.

The city of Miami was previously home to the MLS franchise the Miami Fusion, which was drafted into the league in 1998.

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Updated 3:43 AM EST, Tue January 30, 2018

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Yet the Fusion lasted only four years and was cut from the league in 2002.