David Beckham was spotted cheering on Spain during their World Cup semi-final clash against France, as he was joined by his family and a star-studded crowd of famous faces. The former England captain, 51, watched from the stands alongside wife Victoria Beckham and their children ahead of tonight's blockbuster semi-final between England and Argentina.
Beckham's Allegiances Clear Despite Ties to Both Nations
Beckham has strong ties to both France and Spain after enjoying spells with Real Madrid between 2003 and 2007 before ending his career with a five-month stint at Paris Saint-Germain in 2013. But there was no doubt where his allegiances lay last night. Beckham celebrated as the reigning European champions struck twice to stun tournament favourites France and book their place in the World Cup final.
Spain will now face the winner of England's history-making clash with Argentina.
Beckham Family and Celebrities in the Stands
The Beckham family enjoyed some of the best seats in the stadium, with daughter Harper, 15, embracing the occasion in a Spain jacket as she stood next to brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21. David was also seen catching up with actor Timothée Chalamet, who had rather different hopes for the evening as he backed France.
England's Semi-Final Showdown with Argentina
Attention now turns to England, with Thomas Tuchel's side preparing for what promises to be one of the matches of the tournament against old rivals Argentina. The showdown will mark the first time Lionel Messi has faced England in his illustrious career, adding another layer of intrigue to an already heavyweight encounter.
Speaking ahead of the game, Tuchel said: "We know we are here, we were never shy of expecting that from us and dreaming it. We are in the semi-finals and we arrive very hungry. We want to have the next win. It is a big football match but we are very excited and ready to go."
If England are to reach the final, slowing down Messi will be at the top of the to-do list. The 39-year-old remains as influential as ever and heads into the match as the tournament's joint-top scorer with eight goals.
"We are totally aware that we cannot stop him all the time and for 100 per cent," Tuchel said. "He's a very different player from Erling Haaland, but we did very, very well in our way, in the way you should maybe play against Erling. So we will find a way now."
