Congratulations are in order for David Beckham, who received a knighthood in this year’s Birthday Honours, being honoured for his services to sport and charity.
David is one of the nation’s most famous footballers, and captained the national team for six years during his stint on the pitch. Since retirement, he has been involved in several charitable endeavours, while also raising his four children: Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20 and Harper, 13.
Of the emotional occasion, David said: “Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.
“To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Off the pitch, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation.
“I’m so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I’m grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I’m immensely proud and it’s such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.”
As we celebrate David’s knighthood, revisit the football and charity work that earned him the honour…
David Beckham’s football career
Set on becoming a professional footballer since childhood, David joined Manchester United as a trainee in his teens, forming part of the class of 1992 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
The sports star made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals.
© Getty ImagesIn total, he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013, after stints with LA Galaxy and Real Madrid, among others.
David Beckham’s charity work
Alongside his football career, Sir David – as he is now known – has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his 50th birthday.
He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK’s leadership council.
© Getty ImagesLast year, the former sports star, who has described himself as a “huge Royalist”, was named an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990.
In February, Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for “35 under 35”, a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects the King’s vision, further cementing his charity work with the royal family.
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