Pele tells Beckham to deliver on the pitch, not Hollywood

"David Beckham is more of a pop star than a player. Based on my experience at Cosmos New York, I advise him to be very well prepared for the matches," Pele told Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

 "I know the level of play in that league, it is very evenly balanced, and the fans will demand a lot from a star like him," Pele said.

 "He can stroll through Hollywood on his days off and when he has no training."

   Beckham joined Major League Soccer Club Los Angeles Galaxy in a hyped move from Real Madrid earlier this month, the biggest-name player to go to US football since Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and others went there in the late 1970s.

 Beckham, 32, said that football was the only motive for his transfer, but Pele warned that his wife Victoria should take a back seat, at least as far as sport was concerned.

 "Victoria Beckham does her share for the improved image of football in North America. There is no doubt about it.

 "But David must be the one to lift the sport. He must give the right answers on the pitch, that is not Victoria's business," Pele said.

 Beckham's arrival in L.A. has been marred by an ankle injury as he played no more than 12 minutes for his new club, in a friendly with English club Chelsea.

 It is still not known when he will play his first MLS game, but Beckham will join his team on an upcoming road trip with four games in three weeks.

 Beckham has watched Galaxy Games from the VIP box but on Saturday he was on the substitute's bench for a game against Mexican side Guadalajara.

 "We wanted him to follow the game from there. He is part of the team and was supposed to experience the atmosphere there," said coach Frank Yallop.

DPA