Ex-England captain used to wait outside Old Trafford to get his hero’s autograph

DAVID BECKHAM has revealed the highly contrasting reasons he and his mum idolized the same Manchester United legend.

Becks as a kid had his eyes on his hero’s technique – while Sandra’s eyes were on the player’s thighs!

The ex-England skipper “always waited outside” Old Trafford – to get the icon’s autograph.

But when it came to watching on the pitch he regularly shared moments of awestruck wonder with his mum.

The former Red Devils midfielder, 49, named ex-striker Mark Hughes as the object of his obsession.

BBC Wales showed a clip of Becks as a wide-eyed child explaining to an interviewer: “I’m looking forward to seeing Mark Hughes and the stadium.”

Fast forward four decades, and the 49-year-old Inter Miami co-owner told the TV channel how his admiration for the Welshman, now 61, grew.

Becks said: “I was always one of those little fans that used to wait outside and get Mark’s and all their autographs.

“Mark did things that not many players can do.

“The goalkeeper would kick it 50, 60, 70 yards up and it would just stop dead on those thighs of his.”

And it’s that memory that caused Beckham’s eyes to sparkle – as he a wider family interest in Hughes’ attributes sprung to his mind.

The ex-Real Madrid star burst into a smile as he added: “My mum loved his thighs!”

Former Barcelona and Chelsea ace Hughes spent 13 years with United over two spells, also playing for and managing his country.

But his seventh and last stint so far as a club boss ended with Bradford sacking him in October 2023.

However, Beckham is clear why Hughes was and still is an icon with United supporters.

He said: “He was one of those players that always scored great goals in big games. That’s why Mark was so special.

“There’s certain players that played for United over the years that set the tone of the club. We were able to learn from players like Mark.”

In fact, the occasion Alex Ferguson first handed Becks the shirt number Hughes had worn remains an electric memory.

The one-time PSG wideman said: “The boss turned round to me and he said, ‘Son you’re going to wear No 10 this year’. And I was like, ‘That’s Mark’s number!'”