Sir David Beckham has hailed a “great performance” from the England football team following their commanding World Cup victory over Croatia. The London-born star, 51, is famed for his successful two-decade career in the sport, becoming the first English player to win league titles in four countries: England, Spain, the United States and France.
The former footballer took to Instagram on Thursday to praise the “togetherness” of the England team after the thrilling match, which saw them win 4-2 against Croatia. Sir David shared a snap of the team after the match and wrote: “Great performance from the lads.”
Sir David also posted a photo of team captain Harry Kane cheering during the game and described him as “the captain leading by example”, followed by red and white heart emojis. Jude Bellingham, who scored the third goal of the match, was also among those to receive praise from the former England captain. Sir David hailed a “brilliant performance from Jude”, alongside an image of the England midfielder.
He also shared a snap of footballers Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford and praised the “togetherness of the team”, saying: “Marcus making a difference.”
Sir David has played in three different World Cups and was recently recognised with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame for his role in elevating the profile of football in America and his lasting influence in sport. He also received a knighthood last year for his services to sport and charity.
The ex-football star is married to Spice Girl Lady Victoria Beckham, and the couple have four children together – Romeo, Cruz, Harper and their eldest son Brooklyn.
Sir David’s World Cup comments come as new research from Freely, the free streaming platform backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, found that 44% of Britons expect the tournament to affect their productivity as late-night kick-offs disrupt work and family routines. With some matches kicking off as late as 2am, including Scotland's clash with Brazil next Wednesday at 11pm, fans are bracing for weeks of disrupted sleep as they follow the World Cup.
Around a third (33%) say they'll nap before matches, while 18% expect to rely on caffeine the next day and 14% plan to work from home to ease the impact. The disruption extends to family life too, with almost three in 10 (29%) parents saying they'd let their children stay up for the biggest games.
Despite the sleepless nights, 94% of fans say watching the matches live is still worth it. More than half (52%) plan to watch from the sofa, 44% will host friends and family, and one in five are organising food and drinks around fixtures.
The World Cup's appeal also stretches beyond football fans, with 57% saying they tune in for the atmosphere and sense of togetherness. Off the pitch, 76% expect to balance the tournament with reality TV and other entertainment across the summer.
Throughout the tournament, Freely is teaming up with Soho favourite Stormzy’s House Party to bring football fans the ultimate World Cup watch party experience this summer. Kicking off with a series of key England fixtures from the 17th June, House Party will screen every England game, transforming into London’s ultimate fan zone.
