At the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours held at Windsor on November 4, Charles III briskly tapped David Beckham on each shoulder with a sword. Here, a study of what Beckham’s odyssey to entitlement took.

One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say ...