While David Beckham has never made my Top-Ten Crushes, I’ve always sort of liked him. I like him even more these days, as we get to see him more as a retired athlete, doting father and humanitarian. People always say that he’s incredibly nice in real life, and that makes him more attractive, doesn’t it? Anyway, Becks covers the April issue of GQ. This is his first-ever cover shoot for the American edition of GQ – he’s obviously covered British and international editions of GQ loads of times. The shoot is nice, and the early excerpts from the interview are pretty nice too. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
How he feels about the tabloids: “I’m secure as a person, as a husband, as a dad. I’ve gone past the point of really worrying, caring.”
Life as a retired athlete: “I get physically ill when I have to leave the kids now,” he says. When he’s not out and about, he says, you can find him watching Frozen with his daughter, Harper, for the hundredth time or bingeing on Friends reruns.
On the cries of ‘nepotism’ when Brooklyn got a photographer’s gig: “We’ve always protected our children, but we’ve always been honest with them, as well: There are going to be things said about you, about us, that aren’t true. Brooklyn is 16 coming on 17, and we know he’ll have opportunities because of us. But he’s making opportunities for himself, too. So far we’ve been very lucky that he’s found a passion. Whether people believe it or not, he’s got talent. He’s got a great eye––and proven that in the images he’s taken.”
He does miss soccer: “I miss soccer every day. I don’t know whether it’s the athlete in me, or the passion I have for the game: I always think that I can step back on the field and play… It was always going to be difficult, no matter what I’d set up, no matter how many children I have got to take my mind off things. There was always going to be a moment when I finished playing, that I was going to find tough. Um, it wasn’t straightaway, but I had a three-week spell when I was really struggling… You know, maybe I could play another year in the U.S. If I was still living in L.A., I’d probably really seriously think about coming back for a year. But we’re living in London, and the kids are happy in the school…”
I think Beckham is pretty much where Roger Federer will be in another few years – meaning the mind is willing, but the body just isn’t up to par at this point. That’s not a slam on either man – it actually breaks my heart every time Federer makes it to the finals only to be crushed by Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray, because Federer truly loves the game and even when he’s losing, you can just tell that he’s where he wants to be. It also breaks my heart a little bit when Becks talks about missing being on the field, because you know he would love to still be involved in some way. I kind of think he should be looking for a management or coaching position – it’s not as glamorous as being an international celebrity/retired football icon, but his heart is still in soccer/football, so why not coach?
Also: Becks endlessly watching Frozen with Harper? Come on, that made you smile, didn’t it?
Photos courtesy of Alesdair McLellan/GQ.
The Frozen story did make me smile and say AWWW out loud. He seems like such a great father!
Any parent who watches Frozen on a loop deserves a high-five.
I’ll watch it with him.
I have zero doubt that David is a dedicated father. Which makes him even more sexy, IMO.
I’ve never cared for Beckham until he had his children. Unless he is the biggest faker in the world, he and Victoria Beckham seem like really loving parents. I love how the whole family is wrapped around the little girl’s finger. Adorable image of him sitting and watching “Frozen”, but that’s what good Daddy’s do.
My poor dad saw every Disney movie in the 70s with me, and that was a proliferate time; most starred Kurt Russell. I overheard him one day at a party saying he longed to go to one movie with some cussing and fighting.
My dad did the same, a lot of Disney princess movies & the Lion King. The last one was watched religiously every week, so kudos to my dad & Beckham for not complaining.
My dad couldn’t stand disney movies so I saw Dangerous Liasons when I was 10 & Poltergiest when I 5 (I didn’t sleep in my own bed for weeks). Kuddos to David for watching Frozen. I agree about not caring about David until he had kids- he’s adorable now!
I’ve always liked Beckham, our house is a soccer house so I had defend Beckham as one of my favorite soccer players. I think that after retiring most of the players long for being back on the field, it’s clearly natural, I know some of them decide to go into coaching soccer which I think he would be good at. As for the nepotism with his kid, that was a very good answer.
Word. We live in a soccer house, too. I think people who don’t know much about the game assume that Beckham is just hot with a famous wife and not that great of a player. But ten minutes on YouTube proves that’s not the case. Some of his goals defy physics.
If only we could see Beckham in his prime play Messi right now. It would be incredible to watch.
He was SO good! Prime Beckham vs Messi would be something else. The bromance between Wayne Rooney & Beckham is one of my all time favorites.
There is nothing to not like about David beckham he is hot, sexy, a loving father, caring humanitarian and from all accounts a good husband.
Love him!
nothing sadder than an english man saying “soccer”
When he speaks to American publications, he calls the game soccer.
He sounds like a really caring and thoughtful Dad. Maybe he should try coaching kids…maybe he’ll find the next Great Thing.
As for the nepotism stuff…it exists, how can it not? Kids of celebrities are watched from day !. As they age, there are certainly going to be more open doors of opportunity, and modelling is one that is very common for many to try. However, they still have to prove they have talent or they won’t last no matter how many opportunities they are given initially. If they have talent then they will prove themselves and go on to have success for themselves. But yeah…let’s face it, they do have many more ready opportunities for fame and success if they want to give it a try. There are a lot of celebrity kids who are not necessarily model material but are getting modelling deals or walking catwalks because of their parents. But otoh, there are a lot that even with all the open doors and money, still can’t seem to make anything of themselves or have any success of their own. So again…talent and drive and intelligence matters. But it’s not really that different than a lot of kids who will wrangle jobs at their Dad or Mom’s company or use their parents connections in some way to try to get ahead.
I found him somewhat attractive…until I heard him speak.
He’s a loving dad: kudos to him!
Off-topic: have you guys read today’s blind on Lainey?
I think it points at Tom Cruise (plus Beckham!) and BCoop.
Now, THIS would make David so much more interesting!
I thought the first part referred to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but I wondered about the ‘sporty’ part. Cruise and Beckham…. Ew.
Yes! I just read it right now, the first one threw me off. Sporty can mean anything, but I hadn’t thought of Tom Cruise & Beckham. Beckham is a retired soccer player & his wife was in Spice girls, one of the spice girls is Sporty Spice. That could be it. The second one really screams Bradley Cooper.
The Frozen story is cute and I can’t count how many times I’ve watched that movie and listened to the full soundtrack with my niece. The makers of that movie are set for life.
He seems a nice guy, and I really LOVED when his son posted a selfie with a “vintage” jumper on twitter, and David said “that’s my jumper” ! LOL
LOVE him. He only gets hotter with age.