When England crashed out of the World Cup after their semi-final defeat to Argentina, watching on tearfully was the team’s former captain David Beckham.
Consoled by his youngest son Cruz and surrounded by the rest of his family, Becks looked as devastated as the rest of the nation in the VIP box at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium.
But while the Three Lions may have failed last week in their bid to ‘bring football home’, the family are likely to be the true winners of the competition.
My colleagues in the US tell me that the Beckhams’ fame has ‘catapulted through the roof’ since the World Cup began. Some of it is due to advertising deals with brands such as Pepsi, McDonald’s and Adidas, which saw David dominate the airwaves in the ‘hydration breaks’ during matches – and is reported to have earned him £19million.
But that is just the start, sources say, after the family’s presence at England’s fixtures gave them all lucrative exposure to an American audience.
Barely a game went by without David and Victoria, their sons Romeo and Cruz and their girlfriends Kim Turnbull and Jackie Apostel, and 15-year-old daughter Harper, being picked out by TV cameras several times during matches.
It is quite the turnaround from when the family moved to the US in 2007 when David signed with LA Galaxy – then, they took pleasure in being able to live relatively anonymous lives there.
But now, sources say, there is money to be made for them all in the US. And if the idea was that the Beckhams could be portrayed as the ‘first family’ of football, it appears to have been a success.
Harper, Victoria, Romeo and David Beckham at the World Cup quarter-final between Norway and England in Miami
David and Victoria dejected at full-time of the World Cup semi-final after Argentina beat England 2-1
David Beckham’s advertising deals during the World Cup, including with McDonald’s, have reportedly earned him £19million
’When David and Victoria lived in Los Angeles, they were able to live a normal life,’ says a source who worked with them at the time. ‘Victoria was as happy as a pig in s*** out there, she loved nobody bothering her.
‘But now they are in a different place and they’ve got money to make. Nobody can beat them at the PR game.’
All of the members of Brand Beckham now have their individual projects to promote. David, 51, who sold his 55 per cent stake in his DB Ventures business to US firm Authentic Brands in 2022, is open to more advertising opportunities after cashing in during the tournament to be the face of sports labels, fast food and drink brands, crisp manufacturer Lay’s, and even interiors firm Home Depot.
Victoria, 52, is also attempting to boost the profile of her fashion range after recently opening her first store in America – a pop-up in Miami, where the family owns a £53.5million waterfront home.
She drew attention during England’s quarter-final match against Norway when she looked away from the pitch while others celebrated Jude Bellingham’s winning goal. Her reaction was turned into a social media meme. Embarrassing, perhaps, but it got her even more column inches.
‘Victoria saw the funny side,’ I’m told. ‘Her friends ribbed her about it mercilessly, as did David. It was hilarious. She vowed to make more of an effort to celebrate after that.’
The Beckhams’ visits to the football also did Harper no harm in finding her way into the American market. Millions saw her debut her new blonde highlights and cheer on England months before she launches her beauty collection.
Sources tell me they are looking to Justin Bieber’s wife Hailey, who owns successful skincare range Rhode, as a blueprint for Harper’s project, which is yet to be named.
‘Hailey is huge in America,’ says an insider. ‘She has won over the all-American girl and that is the closest to what Victoria and Harper are looking to follow so getting seen in the States is what is needed.
Harper, Victoria and David Beckham attend the Victoria Beckham World Premiere at the Curzon Mayfair last year
Harper Beckham is set to launch her beauty collection in the coming months. Her attendance at World Cup matches has put the 15-year-old in the spotlight in America
In a DoorDash advert, Brooklyn said ‘You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the Fifa World Cup 2026 from home… it’s a long story.’ The words were interpreted as a dig at his parents
‘To be seen with such prominence as part of the Beckham clan in such a high-profile situation is the perfect launch pad for Harper.’ Romeo, 23, recently kicked off his own sportswear brand, Intra, and Cruz, 21, hopes to top the charts with his rock band Cruz Beckham and The Breakers.
But what of Brooklyn, David and Victoria’s eldest son, who loved watching a game of football with his father until their spectacular fallout last year?
Some suggest that he will see their bid for prominence at the World Cup as further proof of what he wrote in a jaw-dropping statement on Instagram last year – namely, that his family ‘values public promotion and endorsements above all else’.
It’s worth remembering that it was Brooklyn who cashed in on the feud when he won a deal with US delivery service DoorDash.
In the advert, he hands his World Cup tickets to a delivery driver and smirks: ‘You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the Fifa World Cup 2026 from home… it’s a long story.’ The words have been interpreted as a dig at his parents attending the England matches.
‘Brooklyn is staunchly having nothing to do with his family,’ says one associate. ‘He will sacrifice amazing experiences like watching England in the World Cup semi-final rather than make up with his parents.’
But some within the Beckham circles, particularly those who knew Brooklyn as a teenager, say that he would have been irked and a ‘little sad’ – that he wasn’t watching England from the VIP seats.
Instead, he spent the World Cup with his wife, heiress Nicola Peltz, and her brothers who have little interest in the ‘beautiful game’ and grew up playing ice hockey.
‘Brooklyn and David watched thousands of hours of football together,’ says one source familiar with the family. ‘They would watch at home, but they also loved to go to the pub and watch with a pint.
‘Both are football-obsessed. Brooklyn must be sitting there wondering what on earth he is missing out on. Surely there must be a twang of envy? Brooklyn hero-worshipped his dad because of his footballing achievements.
‘Going to watch a game in a box with his family was literally his perfect day.’
Tonight, the family are expected to take their seats at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina – and will no doubt once more feature on our TV screens.
‘They’ve played a blinder,’ says a former associate of the pair. ‘Now they will enjoy watching the dollars flood in.’
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