6 times David and Victoria Beckham ‘sold their souls’ for success, from the Qatar World Cup deal and Posh’s solo single promo tour, to Cruz’s US$150,000 hoodie and the Coming to America TV special
- David was criticised for his million-dollar deal with Qatar World Cup, and many believe his move to LA Galaxy was a PR stunt to establish Brand Beckham in the US
- When Posh dragged Becks into doing joint autograph signings to promote sales for her first solo single, the BBC reported it was seen as ‘a desperate measure’
Victoria and David Beckham might be the ultimate celebrity couple, and are fiercely protective of their beloved Brand Beckham. But as posh and glamorous as they seem to be, they’re only human, and occasionally make some questionable decisions … here are a few times the power couple received criticism for their business deals.
The Qatar debacle
Most recently, there has been an international outcry after David signed a mega-million-dollar deal to be the face of Qatar World Cup – a country whose human rights issues have been under international scrutiny ever since it was awarded the tournament back in 2010. So when news broke that Becks himself signed up as the main ambassador in a reported US$206 million deal, all hell broke loose on the internet.
In a press release, Amnesty International urged Beckham to instead speak out about the “deeply concerning” human rights situation in Qatar. “Qatar’s human rights record is troubling, from the country’s long-standing mistreatment of migrant workers, to its curbs on free speech and the criminalisation of same-sex relations,” Amnesty’s Sacha Deshmukh said.
Qatar famously brought in migrant workers to help build the infrastructure for the winter World Cup, and Amnesty claim “thousands” of migrant deaths have not been properly recorded, reported and investigated.
But money talks – a lot more than gay rights, freedom of speech and mystery deaths. A Beckham spokesperson told the BBC: “David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade and went on to play for [Qatar-owned] PSG – so he has seen the passion for football in the country and the long-term commitment that’s been made to hosting the World Cup and delivering a lasting legacy for the region.”