Miami: After four years of frustration and failed options, David Beckham’s efforts to establish a Major League Soccer team in Miami finally came to fruition with the league’s announcement that it has granted his ownership group an expansion franchise.

The league, which for years had been carefully non-committal about its future with Beckham and Miami, did little to disguise its excitement about the news. It passed out hundreds of tickets for the lunchtime event at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Centre, and it said last week that MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Beckham and most of his ownership group would be on hand for “a major announcement regarding the future of soccer in Miami”.

There were no details on the team itself — the name or colours — but Beckham and his group could hardly hide their relief.

“This is something that has been a dream for many, many years,” Beckham said.

Beckham, a former captain of England’s national team, who also played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and in the MLS with the LA Galaxy, had exercised his option to buy a franchise for $25 million (Dh92 million) in 2014. That bargain price was part of his original contract with the league, signed when he joined as a midfielder for the Galaxy in 2007. The owners of the two franchises entering the league in its current round of expansion will pay about $150 million.

Beckham said fans will select the name and colours of the team and they are scheduled to take the field in Miami in 2020.

“This is the people of Miami’s team and we want to involve the fans,” he said.

“We have a real opportunity to not just come up with any kind of name. It might be something very organic, very basic, but it might be something different.

“We kind of know in our minds what we would like. But we want the people involved, so we want the fans involved in picking the name, we want the fans involved in picking the colours. That’s how we see our club. We’re a family club. But we’re a club of the people.”

Beckham wants to emulate United’s tradition of youth development with his new franchise.

Good luck messages were beamed to the new team’s excited “Southern Legion” fan group from the likes of Neymar, Tom Brady, Usain Bolt and Hollywood star Will Smith.

Brand Beckham is alive and well in South Florida and, of course, it wasn’t long before player names were being thrown into the mix as he took questions.

“Cristiano Ronaldo? You’d have to ask him,” Beckham said when quizzed if he would be making a move for the Portuguese superstar.

Naturally, a team in Miami needs a big name to push ticket sales and get the marketing men interested.

Yet Beckham knows about the importance of nurturing from within.

The former Real Madrid midfielder was part of the famous ‘Class of 92’ who came through the ranks at United and helped take the club on an trophy-laden journey under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Beckham, along with Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were the cream of United’s crop and the new owner of the 25th MLS franchise wants to create something similar in Miami.

“I have already had so many calls from top players and of course you need to bring some superstars in,” said Beckham.

“There are so many names I would love to bring in,” Beckham said.

“We want to reach for the stars. Miami needs a star and that’s what we plan on doing but my dream is to create a state-of-the art academy where we have a hotbed of talent and bring kids through just like we did at United.

“That will make us so proud. We were a unique group of kids who saved United so much money over the years.

“That’s where my experience comes in. I understand the academies where you save money — I am talking like an owner now — and where you bring these talented kids through.

“If you can do that, it would be incredible.”