The former English skipper was included in Real’s squad for the first time since announcing that he will join Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy in the summer.

Sociedad were ahead as early as the eighth minute when Real keeper Ilker Casillas parried a cross into the path of Mikel Aranburu who headed home into the empty net.

Beckham swerved a free-kick that deceived sociedad keeper Claudio Bravo and went into the bottom corner of the net.

Three minutes after the interval, Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy cut ahead of Bravo to head Miguel Torres’s cross from the left-flank into the back of the net.

The victory kept Real’s title hopes alive as they lie third on 41 points, two adrift of leaders Barcelona who face Racing Santander later on Sunday.