David Beckham has redefined masculinity throughout his decades-long career in the spotlight –
The legendary footballer is set to turn 50 this week, and what better way to pay homage to the trendsetter than to remember some of the best times he challenged standards of masculinity?
The footballer may have been known for his free kick technique, but off the pitch, he stood for something entirely different.
At a time when we didn’t have the language to define toxic masculinity, the star was labelled as ‘metrosexual’ because he openly used moisturiser and cared about what he looked like.
With his fashion choices, hairstyles, and bold career decisions, the footballer emulated a progressive version of manliness that baffled many in the noughties, but has now forced a new path and definition of modern masculinity for men today.
Here are some of his most career-defining moments…
During the 1998 World Cup in France, David found himself at the centre of a completely baffling news story when viewed through a modern lens.
David was photographed by The Sun, wearing a sarong over his trousers whilst walking with his then fiancée Victoria Beckham.
The photos caused a huge stir and the footballer found himself being ridiculed by the British public, with The Sun opting for the headline: ‘Beckham has got his Posh frock on.’
The look was hugely controversial, but Beckham did not care at all; he continued to make bold fashion statements regardless.
In recent years, when discussing the incident, David has only doubled down on the fashion statement.
He told The Telegraph in 2018: ‘Twenty years ago when I wore that sarong, people were shocked. It was an outrage; “why are you wearing that? What were you thinking?”
‘Today no one bats an eyelid if a guy wears a sarong in the street.’
In a 2014 interview, he told Lorraine Kelly: ‘Sarongs are great.
‘That’s one thing I never regret because I thought it looked great and I would still wear it now.’
Becks has been known for finding self-expression through his barnet for many years.
In the 90s and noughties, he became known for chopping and changing his locks and taking pride in his peroxide bob, mini mohawk, or ponytail – depending on how the mood struck him.
Seeing the captain of the England football team with a stylish lid emphasised that being considered a masculine man didn’t mean that you can’t get highlights every so often…
Posh and Becks also made it cool to coordinate.
The couple attended the ‘Versace Club’ Gala Party in matching black leather outfits complete with leather trousers and a matching white tops underneath their peephole neck jackets.
While some ridiculed the look as a fashion faux pas or a cringey immaculating look for Beckham, the stylish duo solidified themselves as fashion icons and became even more famous.
The choice to coordinate with his wife at this 1999 event was a fabulous one, and something that he did many times throughout the years.
His purple wedding look that matched Victoria’s bright purple gown was another bold fashion choice that showed that coordinating is cool.
In 2002, the footballer made a bold move as he appeared on the cover of the gay magazine Attitude.
In an era of rife tabloid homophobia, the move was monumental for the gay community and became a huge cultural moment.
Of course, like every big progressive step, the move was met with huge criticism, but it cemented Beckham as a gay icon – for a time.
In 2022, the footballer lost the respect from a lot of the community as he partnered with the Qatar World Cup 2022.
The country has criminalised homosexuality, with same sex relationships being illegal.
Many questioned why Beckham would profit from this gig with the knowledge that he was bolstering support for a country which has been under the spotlight from the LGBTQ+ community and human rights organisations.
In response to the criticism, Beckham defended his actions saying that he had spoken to people from the gay community who felt it was an opening a conversation for change and those who felt safer at the games than they had been before.
He told Sky at the premiere of his Netflix documentary: ‘Let the football do the talking, it was a great tournament, a lot of people were happy.
‘I had a lot of conversations with the LGBTQ community when I was there. They said they had enjoyed the games and they felt it was the safest World Cup they’d had for a long time, it was an important competition and one I was proud to be a part of.’
Other attempts to combat traditional masculinity saw him appear in a GQ photoshoot in the noughties, applying blush, baby oil, and nail varnish in the shoot.
He has continued to wear makeup in artsy settings, as he wore green eyeshadow for LOVE magazine in 2019.
The star has also shown that he’s happy to wear makeup in his everyday life and shared skincare tips for his wife’s brand, Victoria Beckham Beauty.
Other videos shared on social media show his daughter Harper putting makeup on him while they both sing along to Taylor Swift.
The videos are no longer as groundbreaking today as they might have been 20 years ago, but they continue to highlight that Becks’ definition of masculinity can still involve girly pop music and makeup.
Frustratingly, the star has also received flak over the years for kissing his daughter on the lips.
Piers Morgan called the display of affection ‘weird’ and ‘creepy’ while on Good Morning Britain as he was snapped giving his then little girl a peck on the lips in 2018.
The suggestion that the move had a sexual undertone was gross and offensive, but David’s lack of care about it showed he wasn’t going to be shamed into sharing any less affection with his family.
In fact, his social media pages are filled with gushing tributes to many of his family members and images of him kissing his wife, mother, mother-in-law and children and boasting about them like the proud father he is.
His challenges to stereotypes over the years have shown what an influential progressive icon the star has been, with hopes that there is plenty more to come from the football legend in the years to come.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.