WASHINGTON, Jan 12: Soccer star David Beckham acknowledged on Friday that his $250 million package to play in Los Angeles was an “amazing” sum but said it wasn't the driving force behind his 5,827-mile (9,377 km) move from Spain.

“It's an amazing amount of money,” he said in an interview with ABC television's Good Morning America. “I said yesterday — and some people laughed at me — but I said that this move for me is not about the money, it's about hopefully making a difference in the US with the soccer.”

Beckham agreed to start playing for the LA Galaxy in August under a deal heavily financed by endorsements that includes bonuses for performance as well as success by the US professional soccer league Major League Soccer (MLS).

“I think soccer can be a lot bigger in the US,” Beckham said. Kids “are brought up with soccer to a certain age and then they seem to go into other areas, but that's hopefully what I'll be there for, to pass my experience on to them.”

The former captain of the English national team, who joined Spain's Real Madrid from Britain's Manchester United in June 2003, and his wife, former singing star Victoria ‘Posh Spice’ Adams, have become two of the most recognizable and marketable celebrities in pop culture.

Victoria was unlikely to resume her singing or acting career any time soon, her husband said.

“I think Victoria is happy doing what she's doing at the moment.”—Reuters