Life after retirement is as busy as ever for David Beckham

Like the flight of one of his trademark free kicks, the trajectory of Beckham's post-soccer career is the epitome of finely crafted perfection. Since quitting the game a little more than a year ago, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and England star has wasted no time in proving that brand Beckham is just as much of a force off the pitch as on.

In the US, where he played for LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012, he is in the process of creating his own Major League Soccer club based in Miami, Florida. He recently announced plans to build a US$250 million stadium close to the city's famous waterfront.

After a stint as Britain's most prominent Olympic ambassador in 2012, he moved back to London last year. Beckham has been generating plenty of column inches in the national press, not least for the reported £40 million (HK$522 million) purchase of a Kensington mansion to share with his fashion designer wife Victoria and children Brooklyn, 15, Romeo, 11, Cruz, nine and Harper, two.

But it's arguably in Asia that Beckham is creating the most buzz, following up a one-year role as global ambassador for Chinese soccer with a string of high-profile partnerships that seem destined to see his star rise still further on the mainland and beyond.

It was one of these partnerships, with Las Vegas Sands, that brought Beckham to Macau in late April. The deal between Sands and Beckham Ventures will see the two brands developing Beckham-inspired restaurants, retail and other leisure concepts to be unveiled at the resort developer's properties in Macau and Singapore in the near future, and the trip marked Beckham's second visit to the city in just five months. This followed a whirlwind tour of China, where he launched a charitable fund to promote youth soccer, unveiled the Jaguar F-Type Coupé as the new face of the British marque, showed off his ball-juggling skills on and officially took up the role of World Cup ambassador for CCTV-5.

Despite the hectic schedule, Beckham looks relaxed and well-rested when we meet in a function room in The Venetian. Immaculately dressed and impeccably coiffed, he offers a firm handshake and a warm smile as we discuss his past glories and present ventures. The former are in abundance - 115 caps for England (59 as captain) including three World Cups, winning the Champions League with Manchester United, the silverware from England, France, Spain and the US - but we start with the latter, especially his mission to promote the game in China.