David Beckham ‘immensely proud’ as knighthood confirmed on King’s Birthday Honours list | OneFootball

David Beckham has said he is "immensely proud" after it was confirmed he had been given a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours.

The former England captain, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, will receive the honour for his services to sport and charity.

In a statement, Sir David said he “never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour” while “growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British”.

“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.”

David and Victoria Beckham at King Charles III's Gloucestershire estate (PA)

Sir David married his wife Victoria in 1999, and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child, and as a teenager, he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of ‘92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

The sports star from north-east London 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.

In 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.

Alongside his football career, Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 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.

Beckham has been recognised for services to Sport and Charity (PA)

Last 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 Charles’ vision.

He is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine, and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss.

In 2018, he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council, where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds.

His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows.

Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham.

He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.