David Beckham has again been left out in the cold, overlooked from the New Year Honours list. The England legend has no shortage of accolades or achievements tied to his name, but his wait for a knighthood continues.
Many expected the former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger to be knighted, having also captained the Three Lions for six years (via The Mirror).
Beckham was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021. He has also served as a goodwill ambassador for Unicef since 2005.
While knighthood has eluded the former England skipper, he did receive an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2003.
The United legend’s latest disappointment came despite his consistent displays of reverence and respect, including queuing for more than 13 hours to view Queen Elizabeth lying in state.
The earliest Beckham can hope to attain distinguished honour will have to be the King’s Birthday Honours List later this year.
A few black marks
Beckham’s campaign for knighthood has taken a few hits over the year. His life and career have often been followed by controversy and drama – such is the guilt-edged experience of fame.
In 2013, Beckham was one of 140 celebrities allegedly caught up in the 2013 Ingenious tax avoidance scheme. He was eventually cleared and returned to the official recommendations list in 2021.
In 2017, Beckham received yet another black mark against his name. A series of incriminating emails showed his disdain for being overlooked by the committee.
In the leaked emails, Beckham called committee members “unappreciative c—s” and claimed he didn’t “care about being knighted.”
Later, the England hall of famer claimed that some emails were doctored. Beckham has been widely criticised for his Qatar 2022 ambassador role. The role is reportedly worth £150 million over ten years and preceded his latest snub.
While an unblemished career is beyond the England great, he will hope against the odds that this year he will receive the knighthood that has eluded him for so many years.
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