HE turns 50 in less than two weeks, but most would agree that, just like the fine wines he adores, David Beckham is only getting better with age.
Arguably even more chiselled and toned than in the prime of his football playing career, it’s little wonder that a recent Hugo Boss underwear campaign emblazoned across billboards and buses nationwide literally brought traffic to a standstill, as well as sending the nation’s men running to the gym.
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Wearing nothing but skin-tight pants and a seductive half-smile, the campaign was quickly hailed by fashion experts and finance bible Forbes as the most successful launch in a decade.
The hugely lucrative brand endorsement deal shows why Becks is still the world’s most bankable star, a decade after his retirement.
Late last month, a lavish party in Miami kicked off a month-long run of celebrations for David, who officially hits his half-century on May 2.
Sporting royalty, including Lionel Messi, Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal, joined models Cindy Crawford and Eva Longoria, British comic Jack Whitehall, Victoria’s Spice Girl pal Mel B and a 100-strong roll call of showbiz luminaries to celebrate at exclusive Italian restaurant Cipriani, alongside the star’s family.
But while his 50th is a milestone he recently insisted: “Doesn’t bother me one bit,” the party is just the first in a series of events lined up – including some intimate celebrations with Victoria and their four children Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 13, plus more glitzy bashes.
Private moments
Although, a family source reveals: “What he actually really loves, and wants more than anything, is some quiet time with Victoria and their kids away from it all – that’s the thing he’s looking forward to most.”
While Victoria famously partied into the early hours at London members’ club Oswald’s to celebrate her 50th last April, David also whisked the family away to the south of France by private jet to an incredibly remote restaurant miles from the glare of the public eye – and there are plans to replicate the experience for his birthday.
“They haven’t decided exactly where yet,” the friend adds. “It won’t be the same restaurant, but it will be somewhere in Europe still.
“It’s going to be a surprise for him, but it will be very isolated, well away from the big showbiz places they might usually be seen at – just them and the kids miles away from it all having some great food and drink together.
“They’re the private moments he really cherishes – they’re hard to find when you’re as recognisable as a family as they are.
“That and a really great bottle of Bordeaux red wine – they’ll definitely open something special.”
Considered something of a connoisseur among friends, David’s sophisticated tastes have seen him name a £3,000 bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild and the £2,000-a-pop Château Cheval Premier Grand Cru among his favourite tipples, with one of them likely to be on the menu.
It’s a stark contrast to the slightly gaudy wedding day that launched the beginning of Brand Beckham back in 1999 – plastered across a glossy magazine in those matching white and royal-purple outfits that the now faultlessly stylish star admits were an embarrassing fashion faux-pas.
“What was I thinking?” he joked during a 2017 appearance on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. “I looked like the guys out of Dumb And Dumber when they went to that party and wore those ridiculous outfits. I even had a top hat in purple, as well. Unbelievable!
“But we’ve renewed our vows since then. It was a lot more private, there were about six people there in our house.”
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When the couple burst on to the scene, a chart-topping Spice Girl and a rising football superstar, few would have backed their high-profile relationship to stand the test of time.
And, of course, the marriage has faced its fair share of turbulence, which Victoria addressed in a surprisingly candid Netflix documentary released in late 2023.
Recalling allegations of infidelity back in 2003 while David was playing for Real Madrid, she admitted the period was: “The unhappiest I’ve ever been in my entire life, if I’m honest,” while adding: “It was the hardest period for us because it felt like the world was against us.
“Here’s the thing – we were against each other, if I’m completely honest.”
David added: “I don’t know how we got through it, in all honesty.”
But their metamorphosis from ’90s excess to quieter gentrification – complete with homes in the Cotswolds and a love of upper-class rural pursuits – have seen The Beckhams prove their doubters wrong.
Little wonder, then, that as his birthday approaches, there is hardly any talk of expensive gifts or displays of wealth.
What do you buy the man who truly has everything?
“David really does have everything he needs,” says one member of his inner circle. “He wouldn’t want anybody to spend a fortune on him.
“But he does like and appreciate thoughtful stuff – his close friends and family are more likely to get something personal to him and his hobbies.
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“He’s become completely obsessed with cooking, bee-keeping and gardening, so he’d love something to do with one of those, or maybe a nice bottle of wine, and he collects Scotch whisky.”
There will be no shortage of opportunities for his close friends to deliver a carefully considered gift in the coming weeks, with the family planning to head back to London where a second party with UK pals and relatives is scheduled for later this month.
A meal with footballing friends from Manchester United’s so-called Class of ‘92 is also on the cards – echoing a similar get-together thrown for close pal Gary Neville earlier this year, who was on best-man duties at Becks’ wedding 25 years ago.
And his close friendships with the royal family – particularly Prince William, who he has worked alongside on a series of charity projects, and King Charles, who he recently joined as an ambassador for The King’s Foundation – could see him in line for a birthday gift from the very top of the society ladder.
I’m really happy. I’ve got the business and an amazing family. My kids are working hard and they’ve all got passions.
David Beckham
Although, the potential knighthood long predicted for the former England captain in recognition of his charitable work remains, so far, elusive.
One thing is absolutely certain, as his team are quick to stress when asked about the star’s forthcoming 50th, it’s business as usual for the £350million Beckham empire.
Among his latest projects, he recently unveiled a range of health and fitness supplements, IM8, during which he opened up about the toll 22 years as a top athlete has taken on his body.
Addressing turning 50, he explained: “People are asking me about it gently, like it should be a big issue. It’s not something that I’m worried about, as long as I’m fit and healthy and my family are healthy, that’s all I care about.
“I’m really happy. I’ve got the business and an amazing family. My kids are working hard and they’ve all got passions – that’s what’s important to me.”
His supplements range helps keep his body as youthful as possible, alongside an intense workout regime, which sees him and Victoria hit the gym together for joint workouts up to six times a week at their home with his long-time personal trainer Bobby Rich.
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Not that onlookers would have any idea of the underlying wear and tear on his bod, as he regularly returns to the football field at Inter Miami CF – the club he helped found and co-owns in Florida.
There, he trains with star players Messi and Luis Suarez, who he jokes are “always on at me to join in”, though their impressive recent performances suggest they may not really need him to pull his boots back on.
Away from the pitch and a club career that saw him land 19 major trophies, alongside 115 international appearances, Becks seems to have struck an enviable work-life balance.
He regularly shares his passions for cookery and gardening with his legion of more than 150 million followers on social media, while developing a fondness for letting his hair down without the strict constraints of professional football.
A regular party-goer into the early hours, often alongside his wife and children at Glastonbury, David can also be spotted by locals near his Oxfordshire home hurtling through the countryside on a vintage motorbike – also banned during his playing career for insurance purposes – or out shooting with director pal Guy Ritchie.
He also enjoys snowboarding, which affords him the anonymity of a helmet and goggles, as well as indulging his competitive streak with his sons who have latched on to his love of sporting pursuits.
David has admitted to finding the process of his children beginning to spread their wings away from the family home as “painful”.
Polished perfection
But he has plenty to keep him busy.
Alongside his football team, Boss collection and health supplements, he has appeared in a series of advertisements for beer giant Stella Artois, including a Super Bowl commercial with Hollywood actor Matt Damon.
David also picked up an award in recognition of his humanitarian work at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he spoke in typically charming fashion of his “privilege of being the voice of children”.
Three decades on from the nervous young talent thrust into the limelight – who many now forget had a reputation for a slight awkwardness – Becks has transformed into a master of polished perfection in public.
Those of us who have witnessed him work a room among star-struck onlookers frequently remark upon his willingness to stop and chat with fans, posing for thousands of selfies and making small talk with fellow guests from all walks of life.
Also, very few will forget his decision to join the thousands of mourners queuing for more than 12 hours to pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
And as his team insist: “He’s as focused on his businesses and his football team as ever before. They’re his priorities going forwards, alongside his family.”
So, while for many sportsmen hitting 50 could herald the end of a solid innings, for Becks, his biggest achievements may be yet to come.