The Story behind David Beckham´s Tattoos

Formerly a successful professional player for the world's most successful football clubs, today he is a world-famous advertising face and head of the Beckham clan. Over the years, David Beckham has amassed a considerable collection of tattoos, which today include over 40 motifs. Reason enough to get to the bottom of the meaning of some of his most popular tattoos. And one thing is for sure, these give deep insights into the former international's past.

The Kids

In honour of his four children, he dedicated a piece of skin to each of them, featuring very individual designs. He immortalized the family's chick, Harper Seven, on his neck with a small rose and the words "Pretty Lady Harper." Becks also had a drawing of his young daughter engraved in his palm. Of course, the three older boys don't get a raw deal, as David had their names tattooed on his back. Brooklyn, his oldest son, he wears as a round lettering on his tailbone. On the back of his neck is the name "Romeo" above a large angel motif and "Cruz" he had tattooed into his skin directly below. Another tattoo that symbolizes his boys is the motif around Jesus and three cherubs on his chest. These are considered servants or companions of God in the Abrahamic religion and represent Beckham's hope that his sons will one day provide for him. The lettering "We love you daddy" written by his children he took over one to one for another tattoo in honor of his offspring.

His wife

Victoria probably deserves most of the former kicker's tattooed skin. Besides the simple name "Victoria" on his right hand, a portrait of Vic's favorite animal, the horse, and a tweet of the ex-Spice Girls "Dream big be unrealtistic", David honors his wife with several other tattoos that most women can only dream of. Her name adorns his body not only once. On his left arm David wanted a big name tattoo in the ancient Indian Sanskrit language. It's just a pity that this transformed into "Vhictoria" due to faulty implementation. Let's hope Mr & Mrs Beckham had a good laugh about it. On the occasion of the tenth wedding anniversary of the British couple in 2009, Becks had thought of a very special gift and surprised his wife with a tattoo of ten roses on his left bicep. Moving on, an erotic portrait depicting Victoria in seductive Brigitte Bardot style underwear was tattooed next to the words "Forever by your side". After the couple had a crisis in the mid-2000s and rumours of cheating started to spread, David had the date "8.05.2006" engraved in Roman numerals, symbolising a new beginning in their relationship. A simple "99" on the right hand stands for the year in which the Beckhams got married. At the same time, it also commemorates the year David won the triple with Manchester United, i.e. the national championship, the cup and the Champions League. So to the next point, which is due to David of many of his numerous tattoos.

His passion

David Beckham has football to thank for his great and stellar career to this day. As a player at Manchester United, he was discovered, became famous and celebrated countless victories and success stories with his team. The number seven was his shirt number during these eleven years at Manchester and as an international player for the English team. Clearly, it deserves a special place on his body and he commemorates his past in the English Premiere League with a large Roman numeral on his arm. For his time at Spanish record champions Real Madrid, the number 23 was his constant (back) companion, which was also immortalized on his arm. All three numbers can once again be found together on his left hand. The farewell from his home club was visibly difficult for him, because at that time he had the words "pray for me" tattooed.

Of course, these were not the only tattoos that adorn the body of the former "Sexiest Man Alive". From the cross on his neck, which stands for his religious faith, to his favorite animal the eagle, to the ship tattoo copied from his father. David Beckham is not a friend of tattoo trends, but lets the body art tell his very personal life story.