David Beckham buys £5m yacht

David Beckham has bought himself an early Christmas present, reportedly splashing out on a new £5 million yacht.

In June, the Daily Mail reported that Beckham, 46, had met with officials from Italian shipbuilding company Ferretti, and he was filmed touring the 110ft Ferretti yacht Telli at a shipyard in La Spezia, Italy. A source at the shipyard confirmed Beckham’s visit in a statement to The Sun, although refused to reveal further details. 

Now, The Sun reports that Beckham has helped to design his new yacht, which will be 100 ft long and will be moored in Miami, Florida. The new yacht is understood to be a fully custom Ferretti.

A source told The Sun: “David had a look around some yachts in the summer, and decided to treat himself. He helped design the boat himself and has been incredibly hands-on with everything. It’s not an oligarch-style super-yacht, but it’s still pretty plush by anyone’s standards.”

Beckham, who is the owner of a 27-metre Horizon E88 nicknamed The Sophisticated Lady, is said to have been inspired by regular yachting holidays with friends including Sir Elton John and David Furnish.

A Horizon E88 model similar to Beckham’s current yacht

His new yacht is reportedly having its final touches applied and will be ready for use during 2022. 

The former England football captain recently netted £150 million after signing a controversial 10-year deal to become an ambassador for Qatar, which is hosting the 2022 Fifa World Cup, according to reports.

The decision caused controversy thanks to concerns over the country’s poor human rights record and treatment of women and the LGBTQI+ community.  But Beckham, who is a Unicef ambassador, insists football can be a “force for good”. 

For their first voyage, the former footballer is said to be planning to sail around the Florida Keys with his wife Victoria and four children in the new year.