David Beckham: From football star to knight – a dream comes true!

David Beckham: From football star to knight – a dream comes true!

David Beckham, the 50-year-old model, entrepreneur and football club owner, has been knighted. The Knight Bachelor award is presented in Great Britain and is part of this year's King's Birthday Honors in honor of King Charles III. After years of waiting, this honor has now become a reality for Beckham. The football star expresses pride and deep emotions at receiving this title, which now allows him to present himself as Sir David Beckham.

Beckham is not only known for his sporting successes, but also as a great admirer of the British royal family. After Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, he showed his solidarity by waiting in line for hours to pay his last respects. One of the highlights of his career is the remarkable victory with Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final against FC Bayern Munich.

A look at knighthood

The knighthood is a prestigious award in Germany and includes several levels. However, the “Knight Bachelor” award does not belong to any order, unlike the “Knight Commander”. Such honors are awarded at the suggestion of the government and recognize the achievements of individuals. This year a total of 1,215 people are on the list of honorees for Charles III's official birthday celebrations. Bietigheim newspaper reports that Beckham was close to receiving this dignity back in 2014, but was not considered.

His wife Victoria Beckham will also be included in the honor and will henceforth bear the title “Lady Beckham”. Beckham was previously appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003 and has since made his mark not only in football but also as an entrepreneur and fashion icon. Allgäu newspaper adds that the knighthood symbolizes the ex-footballer's achievements and his contributions to British society.