The Queen previously selected former England striker Michael Owen as her favourite footballer due to his personal hygiene - snubbing David Beckham in the process.
The beloved monarch was patron of the Football Association prior to her sad death at the age of 96 last week. Her grandson - Prince William - is the president of the organisation.
Despite the Queen being far more interested in horse racing than football, she did have a favourite player, namely former Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Owen. She was not enamoured to his vast ability on the pitch, but rather his cleanliness away from it, as revealed by former Three Lions manager Sven Goran Eriksson.
Speaking on the ‘Sacked in the Morning’ podcast, the veteran Swede said: "I was invited to lunch with the Queen with about another 10 people. At a certain point, I asked her if she liked football. She said not really.
"I asked her for her favourite player or team. I thought she would've said Beckham. 'Michael Owen is my favourite player,' she said. I asked why and she said, 'He looks so clean'. That was the answer I got and we didn't go on with that discussion."
Owen forged a successful career with club and country. He won the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup after bursting onto the scene with Liverpool and later lifted the Premier League with Manchester United. His accomplishments saw him secure Ballon d’Or - football's greatest individual honour - in 2001.
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He also netted 40 goals in 89 appearances for England and only sits behind five players in the Three Lions' all-time top scorers list.
Following the sad confirmation of the Queen’s Death, Owen took to Twitter with a heartfelt tribute. He wrote: “RIP to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Thank you Ma'am for your lifetime of service and dedication.”
One man who might have felt particularly put out by the Queen’s comments to Eriksson regarding her favourite footballer might be David Beckham, the Manchester United legend, former England captain and global icon.
However, his first meeting with the monarch might have gone against him. Beckham was introduced to the Queen in 2002 during a lunch for MBE recipients.
Speaking about their first conversation during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer, the 47-year-old recalled he was asked how his family was keeping, only for words to fail him. He said: "I couldn't even answer, it was an incredible moment."
Like Owen, Beckham penned a touching tribute to the Queen following her sad death. He wrote on Instagram: " I’m truly saddened by the death of Her Majesty, The Queen. What an outpouring of love and respect we saw for the Platinum Jubilee for her life of service.
"How devastated we all feel today shows what she has meant to people in this country and around the world. How much she inspired us with her leadership. How she comforted us when times were tough. Until her last days she served her country with dignity and grace. This year she would have known how loved she was. My thoughts and prayers are with our Royal Family…
