Sir David Beckham has admitted to a major regret from his glorious playing career with the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid after being knighted by King Charles
Sir David Beckham has admitted he still misses his playing – 12 years after hanging up his boots. The England and Manchester United icon, 50, has been knighted for his services to sport and charity, receiving his gong from King Charles at Windsor Castle earlier this month.
Beckham enjoyed one of the most legendary careers in English football, winning a host of honours with United, including the Treble in 1999. Spells at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain followed before he finally called time on his playing career in his late 30s.
He is now a co-owner at MLS side Inter Miami and League Two club Salford City, while also enjoying great commercial success as one of the most recognisable faces on the planet. However, he insists his post-playing fame still doesn’t replace the buzz of pulling the boots on, which he still misses immensely.
He told People: “When you go through any big life stage or event, sometimes it’s hard to take it all in in the moment.
“I miss my football playing days dearly, and I don’t think I appreciated back then how much I would miss it all when it was gone.
READ MORE: Sir David Beckham’s boozy night at pub with celebrity pals as he celebrates knighthoodREAD MORE: ‘I went to Buckingham Palace to get an honour like Beckham – this is what it’s really like’
“If I were to change anything, it would be to tell my younger self to really take in the moment.”
Nevertheless, Beckham was honoured to receive his knighthood from the King for his services to sport and charity, calling it his “proudest moment.” He said: “To be honest, a young boy from the east end of London, born in Leytonstone, and here at Windsor Castle, being honoured by His Majesty the King – the most important and the most respected institution in the world – it’s quite a moment. This is without doubt my proudest moment.”
He added that it was a “huge honour” to be recognised for both his sporting career and for the philanthropic work he has done since he was “probably 17.”
Speaking about his drive, Sir David said he realised early on that people listen to him and that that was a “powerful tool” in the world of charity.
Get 50% off Premier League kits and merch
Kitbag has slashed up to 50% off football kits and merch. Fans can find discounts on products from Premier League clubs including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and more.
“I think mostly it’s because of the career that I’ve had and the teams that I’ve played for and the things that I’ve won and the respect that I’ve gained throughout my career, and I think that that is why people listen to me,” he said.
“And I think it’s a very powerful tool to have in charity. I just found very quickly that we could make change with things that I said and things that I got involved in and I think that’s why it’s so important to me.”
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.