A new book, The Beckham Experiment by Grant Wahl, reveals the details of Beckham’s experience in the US and exposes the huge gap between the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star’s A$8.3 million annual Galaxy salary and the day-to-day more frugal existence of his teammates.

Before a Galaxy game against New England Revolution, one hotel outside of Boston offered a pre-match meal plates of “greasy fried chicken”, prompting Portuguese defender Abel Xavier to exclaim, “This is not correct!”

Galaxy player Kyle Martino is quoted in the book saying Beckham and Xavier arrived at the hotel “looking at us like it was an episode of Punk’d with Ashton Kutcher.”

The rest of the Galaxy squad, however, were used to low rent accommodation, even if it was at official MLS sanctioned hotels.

Star player Landon Donovan, the highest-paid player on the Galaxy’s squad after Beckham, recalled an earlier trip to Los Angeles when he was playing for San Jose Earthquakes.

“The night before, there had been a fatal shooting in the parking lot of the hotel,” Donovan said. “We were just like, ‘Come on’. You at least want to be safe.”

But Beckham and Xavier, a Portuguese international who had previously played with Liverpool, Everton, Roma, and Middlesbrough, were granted some perks.

The high profile expats took advantage of a Galaxy rule that any player who owned a car valued at more than $100,000 was allowed to park their vehicle undercover, close to the changing rooms inside Galaxy’s stadium and training ground.

Beckham was able to park his Escalade, black Porsche 911, or Rolls Royce Phantom in one of the preferred designated spots and so, too, was Xavier with his convertible white Bentley, even if he was on a reported salary of just USD$156,000.

The rest of the Galaxy team, however, had to park outside in the Home Depot Center’s public car park.

Source: Click Here