David Beckham has revealed he had to wait ‘over two decades’ before getting any approval from his father over his successful football career.
Chatting to James Corden on his podcast series This Life of Mine, David, 48, admitted his ambitious drive came from the desire to please his father Ted – earning a ‘you’ve made it boy’ only after he won 100 caps.
‘My dad never told me I’d done well really until my hundredth cap. That was the first time my dad turned around to me and said, ‘you’ve made it boy’.
He said he didn’t get the same recognition at any other point in his career despite six Premier League titles, two FA cups, four Community Shields and a Champions League title.
David added: ‘It was the moment that we sat at dinner after I’d won my hundredth cap in Paris and he put his arm around me, and said, ‘you made it, boy.’
David Beckham, 48, revealed he had to wait ‘over two decades’ before getting any approval from his father over his successful football career (pictured with his father Ted)
‘It was the moment that we sat at dinner after I’d won my hundredth cap in Paris and he put his arm around me, and said, ‘you made it, boy,’ David admitted (pictured in 1998 playing for Manchester United)
The former footballer explained he and his two sisters were raised in a loving him by two ‘hard-working parents’ – but his dad always pushed him to do more during his Sunday league football team.
‘He very rarely turned around to me and said, ”well done, boy. You did well today, you played well,” he confessed.
But the Salford City co-owner admitted to be only grateful for his father’s methods, which prepared him – both mentally and physically – for the hardest challenges of his football career.
‘Stepping out onto that stadium in front of our fans, whether they loved me or hated me, I loved every minute of every game that I played in,’ David said.
But the former footballer also admitted to have gone ‘a lot softer’ with his four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper – as he chose not to be as tough.
During the candid chat, David also opened up about his long marriage with Victoria, 49, revealing it has only strengthen over the years.
‘We actually like each other,’ he said bluntly and admitted they now enjoy dinners, even in silence.
David has also admitted he didn’t realise how ‘strong’ his wife Victoria was until they got married.
The former footballer explained he and his two sisters were raised in a loving him by two ‘hard-working parents’ – but his dad always pushed him to do more during his Sunday league football team (pictured in 1997 training for England team)
Speaking on SiriusXM’s show, David admitted that he didn’t realise how ‘strong’ his wife Victoria was until they got married
Victoria Beckham treats fans to a glimpse of shirtless husband David
The football legend tied the knot with the singer-turned-fashion designer in 1999 after two years of dating.
He revealed that he ‘really fancied’ her at the time, even though he ‘didn’t know’ who she really was until their relationship progressed.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s show, he said: ‘I really just fancied her. I did. I just fancied her.
‘I didn’t know what she was like as a person. I just actually fancied her like most people did at that time, and I didn’t know who I was marrying [or] who I was going to be with for the rest of my life.
‘I didn’t realise what a strong woman she was, and that is what really attracted me to her more than anything.’
While David thinks Victoria – the mother of his children is ‘beautiful’ and ‘sexy’, his heart lies with her caring side.
He admitted: ‘I like a strong woman, and I like the fact that she works hard. I like the fact that she’s a great mum.
‘I like the fact that she looks after me sometimes, most of the time, and you know, we’ve created this life with four amazing children, which are the most important things in our life, so that’s why I chose Victoria… the way that she kind of runs the family.’
The retired footballer will forever hold the Spice Girls song Say You’ll Be There in his heart because the music video first attracted him to Victoria.
He said: ‘It’s my favourite because it was the song that was on the TV when I was sat in my room with Gary Neville and it came on the telly and that was when I turned around to Gary and said, ‘I’m gonna marry that one in the short black dress.”
It comes after David spent weeks supporting his wife through Paris Fashion Week with a broken foot as she showed the world how truly strong she can be.
David was ever the gentleman as he held an umbrella to protect his wife from the rain as they stepped out in Paris earlier this month.
He helped the ex Spice Girl, as they headed for a family dinner just 24 hours after her successful show fashion week show in the city.
Despite still hobbling on crutches, after suffering an ankle injury during a recent gym work out, Victoria cut a chic figure in all black.
Following the show David couldn’t contain his pride for his wife as he took to Instagram to share his love for the fashion designer.
He gushed that he was ‘so proud’ of Victoria after she failed to let her injury or protestors spoil her big night.
David wrote: ‘So proud of you for many reasons but this season threw a lot at you and again you just did what you do best. we love you @victoriabeckham’.
Despite her ankle injury and the show being invaded by Peta protestors, she continued to enjoy her big night by her husband and children Brooklyn, Cruz, and Harper.
In a jokey snap, David gave Victoria a piggy-back while holding a bottle of champagne as Victoria thanked him for his support, while making reference to her injury.
She wrote: ‘Always supporting me (literally) I love you so much x Kisses x’.
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