New York's Madame Tussauds museum put on display figures of the soccer idol and his wife, a former Spice Girl, dressed for the red carpet. They were draped in an American flag and greeted by U.S. President George W. Bush holding a sign saying "Welcome to America."

The couple will move to the United States in August when Beckham begins a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team in a deal worth 250 million US dollars.

Figures of the couple, dubbed by the museum as the "Brad and Angelina of England," were loaned by the museum's London counterpart for two weeks and will be displayed in an "Opening Night" party scene featuring celebrities in evening wear.

But some museum visitors had trouble identifying the pair. "I don't know them," said New Yorker Rosanne Pelligrini, 54. "Oh wait, is that the soccer player. What's his name? Begins with a B?"

The museum's general manager Janine DiGioacchino said the American public was ready to learn more about the couple.