Throughout his long career as a player — and now as the owner of Inter Miami — David Beckham has been one of the most influential figures in world soccer. That legacy has earned him numerous accolades over the years, the latest being his knighthood conferred by King Charles III of the United Kingdom.
Beckham was officially knighted in a ceremony held on Tuesday, where the English soccer legend met face-to-face with King Charles. Following traditional protocol, the monarch performed the ceremony before placing the medal around Beckham’s neck, formally recognizing him as a Knight Bachelor.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder had previously been appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, but this distinction represents an even higher honor — one that acknowledges not only his on-field accomplishments but also his contributions beyond the game. “For services to sport and to charity,” was announced during the ceremony.
Beckham’s merits for knighthood
Since his debut with Manchester United in 1992, Beckham’s talent and dedication earned him a special place in the club’s history. He proudly wore the iconic No. 7 jersey — once donned by legends such as George Best and Eric Cantona, and later by Cristiano Ronaldo.
David Beckham wearing Manchester United’s iconic No. 7 jersey.
With Manchester United, Beckham made 394 appearances between 1992 and 2003, scoring 85 goals and winning 12 major trophies. He later went on to play for Real Madrid, AC Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy, and Paris Saint-Germain, before retiring in 2013. Internationally, he represented England in three World Cups (1998, 2002, and 2006).
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After ending his playing career, Beckham dedicated himself to philanthropy and charity work, donating significant sums of money and making numerous public appearances to support causes such as child welfare and malaria prevention.
Which other soccer stars have been knighted?
David Beckham joins a long list of players and coaches who have been honored for their contributions to the sport. In fact, in 2025, Gareth Southgate — Beckham’s former England teammate and former Three Lions manager — was also knighted.
England legends and 1966 World Cup winners Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst were both knighted as well, along with Premier League icons Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish. Other notable figures received royal honors, though not at the knighthood level, including Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, and Ryan Giggs.
Among current players, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2019, and Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford was honored in the same way in 2020 during his time at Manchester United.
There are also some remarkable cases of non-British players receiving honorary distinctions. One example is Italian forward Gianfranco Zola, who was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004 in recognition of his career at Chelsea. An even more exceptional case is that of Pele, who was named an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1997, despite never having played in English soccer.
