Having hung up his boots, David Beckham sets his sights on acting career

The ex-footballing star is wary of what sort of criticism he may face when he shifts from the field to the screen

Despite having a number of lucrative contracts before him even after hanging up his boots, English footballer David Beckham has decided to pursue a career in acting.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has already featured in Guy Ritchie’s Knights Of The Roundtable – to be unveiled next year – and is wary of what sort of criticism he may face when he shifts from the field to the screen.

“I am very aware that many sportsmen and other celebrities have turned their hand to acting and failed,” he told The Times newspaper.

To date, Beckham's biggest screen time has come in the shape of the football movie Goal 2 which had him do less acting and more of what he was renowned to do day in and day out, put a football in the back of the net. His hours of television advertisements notwithstanding.

“I know that it is a tough profession, where you need a huge amount of skill and discipline, and I wouldn't want to push myself forward too soon, without learning more about it, and doing a lot more practice.”

PHOTO: DAILY MAIL

“But what I have done so far, I have loved. I can deal with most things. I am a well-known person, so I have got used to criticism.”

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While he admits the ‘guilt from within’ for giving up professional football, the father of four is adamant to hit the big screen.

This is not the footballer’s first stint on the silver screen since he had last made a special guest appearance in Only Fools and Horses sketch for Sport Relief, and rallied to bag a cameo in Ritchie’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Beckham's high profile presence in films could be assessed by Guy Ritchie’s remarks, “He's in the film. He's in there... He's marginally disguised, but he's in the movie. I mean, once you know who it is, you'll know who it is!”

Further, Beckham and Guy have been friends for years, working together on an advert for H&M in 2013 as well as a commercial for his own Haig Whiskey.

PHOTO: DAILY MAIL

The news came week after it was revealed that David will also star in his friend's production of King Arthur.

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Now, the prolific former sportsman had reportedly signed up for an unknown part in the epic, starring Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Eric Bana and Poppy Delevingne.

Having won almost every major trophy in the world of football, he waved goodbye to professional football in May 2013.

The article first appeared on Daily Mail