Niall Horan has revealed he was incredibly nervous when he first met David Beckham, but the former England captain quickly put him at ease. The One Direction star recalled the encounter on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, hosted by Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt alongside comedian Paddy McGuinness.
When asked which footballer was the most famous to attend a One Direction concert, Horan had no hesitation in naming Beckham. "The whole family came to the gig," he said. He also admitted he had been looking for the former Manchester United midfielder while performing, describing Beckham as "a handsome bloke".
Horan explained that Beckham came backstage before the show to say hello. "We didn't know what to think. It was bonkers," he said. "He came in before the gig to say hello, and I've met him a few times since and he's such a nice fella, but you build it up in your head don't you? But you get there and he's just a lovely fella."
Following the 2013 concert at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, Horan took to social media to express his excitement, writing that Beckham had "brought the boys and his little girl" to see the band and describing him as "a nice man, so courteous". Beckham later showed his appreciation by sending the group a video of himself lip-syncing to their hit Steal My Girl, and congratulated them on five years of success.
One Direction were formed on The X Factor in 2010 and went on to achieve global stardom before splitting in January 2016. Horan has since built a successful solo career and remains a keen football fan, having been spotted at Liverpool's Premier League clash with Manchester United in October 2025. He has also teamed up with Fenway Sports Group and Rory McIlroy as an investor in Boston Common Golf, a franchise in the Technology Golf League.
