Professional soccer icon David Beckham has had his name on people’s lips since forever, with the reasons for this ranging from his epic dead-ball striking abilities, through his occasionally cringeworthy comments to the press, right up to his celebrity lifestyle and marriage to ex-pop star Victoria Beckham. The first truly global star to ply his trade in America’s MLS, Beckham will not drop off the global media’ radar any time soon thanks in no small part to his own media savvy, and his bankability as a subject for press stories.

One almost permanent element in the press attention that is devoted to Beckham is his love of tattoos – an extension of his fashion sense and regarded by some as inextricably linked with his fondness for hip-hop, David’s ink makes Eminem look positively restrained. The number of cultural signifiers alone is quite dizzying, with a crucifix on the back of his neck, Victoria’s name (misspelled) in Hindi on his left arm, and not one but two Jewish proverbs – one on each arm. On the right arm the proverb reads “My son do not forget my teachings, but keep my commands in your heart” and on the left “I am my beloved and my beloved is mine”.

This astonishing amount of body art would give the most decorated rapper a run for his money, and it is a collaborative artwork conceived by Beckham and achieved by his personal tattooist Louis Malloy, with Beckham as the canvas (and one that has very little space left to cover). With his current hiatus in Milan, it remains to be seen whether David Beckham will get more ink done, what it will be, and whether it will be spelt correctly.

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