David Beckham is reportedly earning more by appearing in video game FIFA21 than he did playing real football.
The star, 45, is thought to have won a £40million three-year deal to star as a special icon player in the game on PlayStation and Xbox, reports The Mirror.
During his playing career, David made around £100,000 a week at Manchester United and signed a £25million five-year deal in his move 2007 to LA Galaxy.
Big earner: David Beckham is reportedly earning more by appearing in video game FIFA21 than he did playing real football (pictured playing for Manchester United in 1996)
A source told the publication: ‘FIFA makers EA Sports offered him £30million over three years but he managed to get a better deal.
‘It is a big addition to the Beckham brand and the easiest money he’s ever made.’
An icon player in FIFA can be purchased using game coins, with other now-retired stars such as Pele and Gary Lineker also available to join virtual matches.
MailOnline has contacted a representative for David to request a comment.
David has also been celebrating his return to FIFA on Instagram and joked that the exciting new signing might help improve his standing with his sons.
New project: The retired footballer, 45, is thought to have won a £40million three-year deal to star as a special icon player in the game on PlayStation and Xbox (pictured in the video game)
The retired star said: ‘I’m so proud to be returning to EA Sports with my FIFA 21 Beckham Edition cover.
‘Excited to be back on the pitch as an icon with some of my old teammates! Maybe @romeobeckham and @cruzbeckham will think I am a cool dad now.’
And as well as celebrating his virtual move into the game, David and his wife Victoria are also said to have been enjoying I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.
It has been claimed that the couple are big fans of Beverley Callard, who played Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, and are hoping she’ll be crowned winner.
On the pitch: A source said the FIFA role was the ‘easiest money’ David, who earned £100,000 a week at Manchester United, had made in his career (pictured in 2002)
Exciting: David also shared the news that he was becoming a FIFA icon on Instagram, saying he was ‘proud’ to be back on the cover
Dad jokes: The father-of-four also joked his sons Romeo and Cruz may think he’s ‘cool’ now
A source told The Mirror: ‘The Beckhams are big fans of Beverley and having been loving watching her on the show.’
David and Victoria supported Beverley when she left the soap back in 1998 and even went to her wrap party.
Discussing the memorable moment in her book Unbroken: My Story Of Survival, Bev detailed a few of the famous guests who turned up to wish her well.
She wrote: ‘Coronation Street threw an amazing party for me. Nick Cochrane had been written out by then but he came back for the party and everyone from the cast was there.
Family: It comes amid reports that David and Victoria have been enjoying I’m A Celebrity and are backing Beverley Callard to win (pictured with their children Brooklyn, 21, Cruz, 15, Harper, nine, and Romeo, 18)
Big fans: The couple even went to Beverley’s Corrie leaving party in 1998 when David was still playing for Manchester United (pictured in Marbella in October 1998)
In the castle: Beverley discussed the party’s celeb guest list in her book Unbroken: My Story Of Survival (pictured on I’m A Celeb)
‘Even Victoria and David Beckham came because he was still playing in Manchester at that point and I’d met Victoria a few times through Rebecca’s [Bev’s daughter] friend, Mel B.
‘Paul O’Grady came along and compèred the evening, Russell Watson sang for me and Cliff Richard sent a massive bouquet of flowers.’
Beverley and tenor Russell are currently catching up as they’re both appearing in this year’s season of I’m A Celeb in Wales.
Role: The 63-year-old actress played Liz McDonald in ITV soap Coronation Street for 31 years
The soap star has been entertaining viewers so far during the series and on Friday night did not shy away from telling her fellow stars that she used to train with Hollywood royalty Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Corrie icon, 63, chatted to Hollie Arnold while giving her a sports massage soon after the campmates woke up on Friday morning.
She went on to reveal to Hollie that it took the Terminator star, 73, a grand total of 18 months to build each of his calves up half an inch.
Speaking later in the Telegraph, Hollie joked that nothing ‘surprises’ her with Beverley as she reflected on Beverley’s rather impressive name-drop.
Name-drop: Beverley Callard did not shy away from telling her fellow campmates that she used to train with Arnold Schwarzenegger during Friday night’s episode