COMMEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

Football star ‘could never have imagined’ becoming Sir David

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FORMER England football captain David Beckham has said he “never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour” after being knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Sir David, who was made an OBE in 2003, receives a knighthood alongside actor Gary Oldman and The Who singer Roger Daltrey.

Strictly Come Dancing presenting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been made MBEs, as have darts stars Luke Littler and his rival Luke Humphries.

Actress and singer Elaine Paige and novelist Pat Barker have been given damehoods.

Sir David said in a statement: “Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.

“To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career, and literally a boyhood dream come true.”

The day before Sir David was given the honour, he was seen chatting with the King at a St James's Palace ceremony for the monarch’s foundation, of which the retired footballer is an ambassador.