David Beckham will add to his many millions with further involvement in advertising Qatar's World Cup this winter.
The tournament, the first to be held outside of the summer, has attracted its fair share of criticism, but that hasn't stopped one of England's favourite sons being involved in selling the competition. He and former NFL star Peyton Manning, who twice won the Super Bowl, have been staring in TV and print ads for sponsors Doritos.
The advert was shot in the UK this week and plays on the narrative of 'football' - with the Americans and the English using the term to describe different sports.
A source told The Sun : “This is a megabucks campaign for two of the most famous sportsmen in the world, centred around the planet’s biggest tournament. It’s huge money for both of them — but fronting anything with a Qatar link is always going to have an element of controversy.”
Beckham is an ambassador for the tournament, which has pocketed him more than £10m already according to some estimates. Such involvement has attracted plenty of criticism.
The decision to award Qatar the World Cup and move its usual summer date caused a stir, but the country's attitude towards major social issues has also raised concerns. That includes restrictive laws on women’s rights, while homosexuality is illegal and punishable with up to seven years in prison.
Beckham’s spokesperson has defended his decision, stating: “David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade. He’s always talked about the power of football as a force for good."
Beckham has also talked up the potential of having a World Cup in the Middle East which, despite being a new concept, will have huge benefits.
He said on the Overlap : "Speaking as a fan, I've been coming to Qatar for quite a number of years. I've seen the hospitality, I've seen the warmth of the people. You know, we talk about football being for everybody, we talk about the World Cup being for everybody.
"This is the first time a World Cup is being hosted in this region - and that is an incredible moment.
"Seeing the likes of Messi, Ronaldo. All of these great players they look up to, will inspire so many different generations. This will be an incredible experience and yes, it is new.
"Yes, people don't know too much about the region but believe me, this will be a tournament you don't want to miss."
