David Beckham is expected to be awarded a knighthood in King Charles’ Birthday Honours. He becomes the latest sporting hero to be awarded a knighthood.
Earlier, he was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
After a long winding road and near misses earlier, the former England football captain will soon be honored after which he will be addressed as “Sir David”.
Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011, but fell out of favour after allegations that he criticised the honour.
The former footballer played 115 times for his country as well as for clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.
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David Beckham played a key role in securing the London 2012 Olympics. He also drove the Olympic Flame down the River Thames during the Opening Ceremony.
He is an ambassador for Unicef since 2005. The body launched ‘The David Beckham Unicef Fund’ in 2015 to mark a decade’s partnership between the two.
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Beckham became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation in 2024, supporting King Charles’ education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.
A part-owner of League Two side Salford City, he is also the president and co-owner of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami in the United States.
He helped set-up the Inter Miami CF Foundation – a community driven not-for-profit enterprise that looks to empower underserved communities, using football as a catalyst.
“He is a great ambassador for football and the country,” Beckham’s former England team-mate Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.
“You don’t get to his level worldwide if you don’t work hard. He was persistent and kept going to get the reward he deserved.”
David Beckham: Football Career Highlights
- 115 appearances for England’s national team.
- Played for top clubs – Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain
- Retired in 2013;
- Co-owner of Inter Miami CF and part-owner of Salford City
Also Read: Top 4 Most Successful Football Clubs Of All-Time
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Off-The-Field
- UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005.
- In 2015, The David Beckham UNICEF Fund launched.
- Focuses on child protection and global children’s rights.
- In 2024, became ambassador for The King’s Foundation.
