He has proudly embraced his “honour” over his status as a gay icon – being hailed for becoming the first footballer to give an interview to a gay magazine and openly courting his gay fan base.
But in a shock turnaround last week, David Beckham, 45, was labelled “homophobic” by trolls amid reports he has signed a lucrative deal worth a whopping £10million to be an ambassador of Qatar – the Middle Eastern state where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment and even death. In his new role, David will promote the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in media interviews, via his social media, and when restrictions allow, attend promotional events.
Blasting the former footballer – who has an estimated joint worth of £769m alongside his 46-year-old wife, Victoria – one critic posted online, “His greed knows no limits.” Another swiped, “Disgusting. Moving further and further away from that knighthood.”
And another disappointed fan added, “Seriously the Beckhams just sink lower and lower. David really needs to wake up and realise what message this sends out to his young fans, shameful.”
And pals say the damning accusations against her husband have “hurt” Posh, who is also panicked about the damage the latest scandal could have not only on their reputations and careers, but also their close friendships. The Beckhams have a wide circle of gay friends, including their long-time BFFs, Sir Elton John, 73, and his husband, David Furnish, 58 – with the Rocket Man singer being godfather to the couple’s eldest sons, Brooklyn, 21, and Romeo, 18.
A source says, “Vic knew it was a risky move for David, but he assured her he only agreed to sign the deal if they upheld their promises to relax their laws on homosexuality, which, of course, he would never support.”
FIFA are reportedly pressuring Qatar to change their human rights laws so that they present an “internationally welcoming face”, something a spokesperson for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar assured in 2019, saying, “fans of any sexual orientation would be welcome.”
The source adds, “Vic can’t help but feel that, even though the country is making promises, David should have foreseen the backlash. She feels David’s team underestimated the reaction it would cause. She wishes he’d thought it through more.
“She’s used to them coming under fire, but having David’s reputation trashed over this issue was extremely upsetting. She’s concerned about the impact this will have on their image, she was heartbroken at the prospect of offending anyone and leaving some of their closest loved ones feeling betrayed – potentially even costing them their friendships.”
Check out: the most shocking celebrity breakups of the decade
Most shocking breakups of the decade - slider
1 of 30Louise and Jamie Redknapp
They were the British A-list couple that we thought would last but the world was stunned in July 2017 when Louise and Jamie Redknapp confirmed they'd split after 19 years together. Months later Louise opened up about the end of her marriage and following the end of the Redknapp marriage, it was reported that celebrities were refusing to sign up to the BBC show because of the Strictly curse.
2 of 30Cheryl and Ashley Cole
Cheryl and Ashley Cole first met in 2004 and quickly became an A-list couple. Two years later they tied the knot in an extravagant wedding. However, in 2010 following cheating allegations that were splashed across the media, Chez split from her footballer husband.
3 of 30Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin
Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin had been together for 23 years and married for 11 but in January 2018, the TV presenter confirmed he was filing for divorce following his rehab stint.However after a drink driving arrest, a second visit to rehab and liking a lot of shady tweets – the pair officially divorced nine months after splitting.
4 of 30Lenny Henry and Dawn French
At the beginning of the decade, Dawn French and Lenny Henry announced they were splitting after 25 years of marriage.
5 of 30Paul and Alex Hollywood
Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood and his wife Alex split after 20 years together. They'd previously split in 2013 after the GBBO star had an affair with his American co-star but they managed to patch things over and make things work. For a while.
6 of 30Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
We still can't believe Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split in 2016 after ten years together and two years marriage. The couple are parents to six children; Maddox, 18, Shiloh, 13, Pax, 16, Zahara, 14, Vivienne, 11, and Knox, 11. Even George Clooney was stunned at the news; well, to be fair he did find out during an interview.
7 of 30Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green
We thought they'd be a real-life Romeo and Juliet (minus the death) but Millie Mackintosh and Professor Green called it quits after being married for three years. We weren't the only ones who thought they were a power couple; remember when Craig Lawson joked he'd be the next Pro Green and Millie with Camilla Thurlow? Yeah, that didn't last.
8 of 30Bruce and Kris Jenner
They're the head of the Kardashian/Jenner household but in 2013 the world was shocked when Bruce and Kris Jenner announced they had separated after 23 years of marriage. A year later, Kris filed for divorce and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason. A month after their divorce was finalised, Bruce publicly came out as a transgender woman – Caitlyn.
9 of 30Katy Perry and Russell Brand
One of the most heart-breaking celebrity break ups was definitely Katy Perry and Russell Brand, after all, she found out their 14-month marriage ended via TEXT. Their entire split was shown on her documentary Part of Me and remarkably Katy still performed on stage just hours after Russell announced he wanted to end their marriage.
10 of 30Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom had only known each other for three weeks before they tied the knot. Yes, really. They lasted four years before the Keeping Up with The Kardashians star filed for divorce. However, in 2015 she withdrew the file after Lamar suffered a drug overdose and she had to take control of his health decisions. There were reports that the pair would reunite but in 2016 their divorce was finalised.
11 of 30Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
Kim appeared to have followed in the footsteps as her younger sister Khloe when she got engaged to Kris Humphries after just seven months. She documented her 'dream' wedding on Keeping Up with The Kardashians but their relationship didn't last and they split just 72 DAYS after their wedding. Their breakup was also documented on their show.
12 of 30Stormzy and Maya Jama
We're still devastated about Stormzy and Maya Jama splitting, tbh. They were the dream team and had been together for four years – despite being very private they appeared in Vogue magazine together and the grime artist dedicated a song to her. However in August 2019 they called it quits and the TV presenter unfollowed him on Instagram.
13 of 30Seal and Heidi Klum
Seal and Heidi Klum renewed their wedding vows every year on their anniversary however after a seven-year marriage they called it quits. The A-list couple are parents to four children; Leni (who Heidi had from a previous relationship, but Seal adopted) and during their relationship they also welcomed Henry, Johan and Lou into the world.
14 of 30Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray
After dating for 10 years and then being married for four, Gary Lucy and Natasha Gray called time on their marriage. The pair confirmed the news in a statement saying, "This was a very difficult decision, but was reached mutually and amicably. No other parties are involved."
15 of 30Liam Payne and Cheryl
We're pretty sure the world was shocked when Liam Payne and Cheryl announced they were dating. However they then went on to welcome baby Bear Grey Payne into the world and despite breakup rumours they posed together at the Brit Awards in 2018. Unfortunately a few months later – and a total of two years together - they split.
16 of 30Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
This break up is still a bit weird and we're not really sure why it happened because – spoiler alert – they're not real people. Anyways, in 2015 the puppets announced the end of their relationship in a lengthy statement.
17 of 30Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
Another KUWTK break up – this one more surprising than the others – was Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick. The pair had been together for nine years and during that time they welcomed Mason, Penelope and Reign. They'd split a few times throughout their relationship – which included Scott doing to rehab and cheating allegations. However in 2015 they split for good.
18 of 30Cheryl and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
Cheryl literally surprised the world when she announced on Instagram that she had eloped with Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after three months of dating. The pair seemed totally in love until Cheryl raised concerns among fans after losing a lot of weight and slammed any split rumours by revealing her father in law had died. Unfortunately their romance wasn't to last and after 18 months of marriage they split.
19 of 30Perrie Edwards and Zayn Malik
Little Mix's Perri Edwards and One Direction's Zayn Malik were X Factor sweethearts. They supported each other's career, posted adorable snaps and even got a puppy together. The singers then got engaged but two years later – following cheating accusations and after Zayn quit One Direction – it came to light that he ended their relationship. While she claimed he dumped her via text, he denied it.
20 of 30Adele and Simon Konecki
She's notoriously private with her life but in 2019 is came to light that Adele and her husband Simon Konecki had split. Awhopping £145m is the figure being talked about in relation to their divorce. In 2012 they welcomed their only child into the world – Angelo.
21 of 30Chris Pratt and Anna Faris
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced they were splitting back in 2018 and a few months later their divorce was finalised. At the time they released a statement, saying: "We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. "Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward."They went on to say they "still have love for each other".
22 of 30Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan
Step Up stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan called it quits after being married for eight years. At the time they insisted they'd "lovingly chosen to separate as a couple". During their relationship they welcomed their daughter Everly into the world.
23 of 30Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk
We were devastated in June 2019 when one of the hottest A-list couples – Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk – split after four years together. Apparently the parents to their daughter Lea De Seine hadn't "been good for a few months".
24 of 30Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes dated for seven years and were married for six but in 2012 it came to light that she had filed for divorce. He later spoke out and admitted he "did not expect" the turn of events.
25 of 30Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux
Friends star Jennifer Aniston and her husband Justin Theroux called it quits after being married for two years. At the time they said the "decision was mutual and loving" and it appeared to be the truth because a year later to paid tribute to his ex-wife to celebrate her 50th birthday.
26 of 30Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom
Victoria's Secret model and Hollywood actor Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom broke up after six years together. After being married for three years they announced they'd been "amicably separated for the past few months" before confirming their relationship had ended.
27 of 30Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth lived a real-life story after falling in love on the set of The Last Song. However after four years together they split. They were then on/off but decided to call it quits AGAIN after eight years together. Their relationship didn't end there though because they reunited and got married but eight months after their wedding they split again.
28 of 30Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Another couple who took the world by surprise were Twilightstars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. They met on the set of the vampire phenomenon back in 2009 and fell in love. While we all thought it would last, it didn't. Their relationship hit a rough patch in 2012 when Kristen's affair with her married director Rupert Sanders was exposed by paparazzi. Robert forgave her and they tried to make it work but they split a few months later.
29 of 30Fergie and Josh Duhamel
After eight years together Fergie and Josh Duhamel announced their split. Fast forward two years and Fergie filed for divorce.
30 of 30Matt Leblanc and Aurora Mulligan
In news that shocked Friends fans the world over, In February 2022 it was reported that Matt LeBlanc - best known for playing Joey Tribbiani on the show – had split from his girlfriend of six years, Top Gear producer Aurora Mulligan.
Much like her husband, Posh has long flown the flag for the LGBTQ+ community – first as a Spice Girl with the band’s huge gay fanbase and then at the helm of her fashion label, including her close friendship with designer Marc Jacobs, 57.
In 2019, she designed a special rainbow-font T-shirt to mark gay pride month and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots by the oppressed gay community in New York – said to be sparked as a response to the homophobic abuse she received after Instagramming a snap of Marc and his husband, Charly Defrancesco, 39, kissing on their wedding day.
The designer – who also shares Cruz, 15, and nine-year-old Harper with her husband of 21 years – once said she prefers bonding with gay men over women.
“I love women. I like them as friends, as interesting people to speak with,” she said. “But I love gay men. I always say it. Inside me there is a gay man who wants to get out!”
The source says, “Vic has urged David to counter-balance the move by working with a gay charity and becoming the face of an iconic gay brand and donating the money to LGBTQ+ causes. David thinks that’s a great idea, but he’s equally concerned about it making him look like he’s done something wrong and worsening the situation.
“While they usually leave these things to their PR team and favour taking a dignified silence, on this occasion Vic feels they need to be as vocal as possible and David is weighing up the best thing to do.”
It’s one of a string of recent bombshells that have tarnished Brand Beckham’s image in recent years.
In 2017, David became embroiled in one of the biggest scandals to shake his 25-year career when his private emails were hacked – exposing the charitable former England captain in an unfavorable light after allegedly suggesting that his philanthropy was part of a deliberate effort to gain a knighthood.
Amid the thousands of emails accessed over a three-year period in what famously became dubbed “Beckileaks”, the UNICEF ambassador was said to have called the UK’s Honors Committee “unappreciative c**ts” after missing out on a knighthood in 2013 and allegedly labelled Katherine Jenkins a “f--king joke” after the classical singer was handed an OBE.
And last year, Posh came under fire amid the revelation she used Government funds to furlough staff at her struggling fashion label despite her vast wealth – a move she later reversed after fierce criticism.
The couple faced further backlash last month when it was revealed the family had secretly flown to Miami despite the travel restrictions amid the pandemic – with critics slamming them for “living it up” in the sunshine state while the rest of the country were back home adhering to the latest lockdown rules.
But they are no strangers to weathering the storm together after facing numerous scandals and traumatic events from early on in their relationship.
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After David went from hero to villain when he was sent off with a red card at the 1998 World Cup, he credited Posh for talking him out of quitting football for good after sinking into a depression.
“She was the one who changed my mind and turned it all around for me,” he said.
In 2018, Posh – who has previously described David as her “teammate” – opened up about how they lean on one another in times of crisis, saying, “We both realise that we are stronger together than we are as individuals.”
And pals say Posh is adamant their united front and solidarity as a couple will help them ride out this latest controversy.
The source adds, “David has assured Vic that their close friends and loved ones know they would never do anything to intentionally hurt or upset them. David’s calm and collected response to the situation has helped. It’s reminded her of how grateful she is that they have one another to lean on and offer support in times like this.”
Get the best celeb interviews in Closer magazine each week.