Rio Ferdinand makes feelings very clear on David Beckham knighthood - 'Scratch your head'

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has lauded his ex-team-mate David Beckham, claiming that he is fully deserving of his recent knighthood from King Charles. The 50-year-old icon has become the fifth figure from the Red Devils to receive this prestigious honour.

He now stands alongside such luminaries as Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Matt Busby, who have all been bestowed with a knighthood. Beckham, a product of United's esteemed academy and a member of the illustrious class of '92, clinched a historic treble during his tenure at the club.

Before making a high-profile move to Real Madrid in 2003 to join a team brimming with galacticos, he had secured six Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

In 2003, Beckham was awarded an OBE and was widely expected to receive a knighthood after 2011, following London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

However, it wasn't until earlier this month that he was finally knighted for his contributions to sport and charity.

His wife, Victoria Beckham, was also present at the ceremony at Windsor Castle, where she watched her husband become the first player to be knighted who had played in the Premier League.

Now, his former United colleague Ferdinand has heaped praise on Beckham, commending him not just for his achievements on the football pitch, but also for his work off it.

In a chat with LBC Radio, Ferdinand lavished praise on Beckham, stating: "Listen, he deserves it. I think he's, if we're looking at somebody that's worked hard, that has come from not nothing but come from somewhere where he's had to work to get to the levels that he's at, no one could have imagined that he'd become a world superstar icon that he is.

"He deserves it. I don't know many that work as hard as him or put the mileage in that he does.

"And he's become an icon, not just on a football pitch, but also off the pitch in different areas as well.

"So if anyone's deserving and we see some people get these accolades and you go, 'Oh,' you have to think about why they've got it and scratch your head a little bit sometimes. Not with this man."