Former England winger Chris Waddle says David Beckham is not one of the top 1,000 players of the last 40 years.
The ex-Manchester United midfielder
is retiring
at the end of the season.
"I would say he has been a good player, I wouldn't put him down as a great," Waddle, 52, told BBC Radio 5 live.
"You can go down a list of players from the Premier League or the 70s or 80s, whatever you want to do. I'll be honest, Beckham probably wouldn't be in the first 1,000."
Beckham v Waddle
| Beckham | Waddle | |
|---|---|---|
|
England caps |
115 |
62 |
|
Major English trophies |
8 |
0 |
|
Major European trophies |
1 |
0 |
|
League titles |
10 |
3 |
Beckham, 38, who signed a
five-month deal at Paris St-Germain
in January, joined Manchester United as a trainee in 1991, making
his first-team debut the following year and signing his first
professional contract in 1993.
He went on to make 394 appearances for United, winning
six Premier League titles and the Champions League, and 115 for England.
"I think there have been a lot more talented players in the world. But he made the most of what he has got," said Waddle, who made more 100 appearances for four of his clubs - Newcastle, Tottenham, Marseille and Sheffield Wednesday - while winning 62 England caps.
"He has got a terrific image and used it very well. He never had a trick, wasn't particularly quick, but he was very good at set-pieces and deliveries, he made chances and made goals and was fantastic for clubs.
"He said the right things, he sold shirts, he put money in the tills wherever he went and conducted himself well."
Beckham became one of the world's most high-profile sportsmen during his time at Old Trafford - and a global celebrity following his marriage to Spice Girl Victoria Adams in 1999.
He signed for Real Madrid in 2003 and won a La Liga title in 2007 before switching to the United States with Los Angeles Galaxy. He also spent time on loan at AC Milan.
"As a player I would say he was a fantastic crosser of the ball, a great athlete," said Waddle. "Now people will be talking about him and saying 'How great, how great'. I would say 'how good'.
"I would not say he was a great. He was very good at his job, he worked very hard as a professional footballer."
Manchester United manager-in-waiting David Moyes, preparing to lead Everton for the final time, has added to the tributes paid to Beckham since his announcement on Thursday.
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