David Beckham cheered on Spain alongside wife Victoria and their family as the side last night brushed past France to reach the World Cup final.

The former footballer, 51, and Spice Girls star, 52, joined a sea of celebrities in Tuesday night’s Texas crowd, ahead of tonight’s semi-final showdown between England and Argentina.

David played in both Spain and France during his career, with a stint at Real Madrid from 2003 to 2007, and five months with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013.

But his loyalty lay firmly with Spain, who scored a penalty in the first half and netted a goal in the second to leave the tournament favourites dumbfounded.

After many had pegged them as the team to beat, France were almost unrecognisable last night – while the Spanish put on a convincing display of unity and flair.

The Beckhams had prime seats to watch the game along with their three youngest children – and looked tense as the action unfolded.

Daughter Harper, 15, donned a Spanish football jacket to join her older brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21.

Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30, joined the family in the stands.

David shared some warm words with Timothy Chalamet, who wore a French football jacket to make it clear he was cheering for the other side.

Meanwhile, England manager Thomas Tuchel has sought to dispel talk of a rift with star number ten Jude Bellingham, following an awkward set of interviews after the Norway quarter-final.

Tuchel was highly critical of his team’s technical performance in Miami, but praised their mentality in finding a way to win.

Bellingham, who scored both goals, was later confronted with the criticism, and said: ‘Maybe that means he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those kind of conditions.’

He had earlier shrugged off the manager’s comments by replying ‘well, whatever’.

Addressing the suggestion he lacks the experience to empathise with his players, Tuchel turned to the phrase: ‘You don’t have to be a horse to be a good jockey.’

He admitted his playing career has been ‘mediocre’, but insisted he can lead the side to World Cup glory.

Tuchel said he had no issue with the 23-year-old’s response, and blamed the interviewer for presenting him only with the negative side of his analysis.

He spoke to his squad at their Kansas City base on Sunday to clear up his words.

David and Victoria were also there for the quarter-final in Miami on Saturday night – but the former Spice Girl’s reaction went viral for the wrong reasons.

She was pictured showing almost no response to England’s success as her husband and son leapt into the air beside her.

David later insisted she had been ‘celebrating on the inside’.

While former England captain David and his kids went suitably wild when Jude Bellingham scored in first-half stoppage time, a pouting Victoria remained seated.

Photos of a cheering David leaping up from his seat while his wife, who famously rarely smiles, stayed seated, have turned the Spice Girl into an instant meme, prompting David to jokingly defend his wife.

The football legend commented on stand-up comedian Jenny Johnson’s summary of the match after she wrote: ‘There’s nothing like cheering your heart out for England from home, then they cut to Victoria and we see that classic Posh Spice smile! It’s so infectious!

‘I used to think I got animated while watching sports, but Victoria blows my enthusiasm out of the water! Each time I see her I shout, “SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!!!!” because her energy is electric!!!’

Commenting with a string of crying laughing emojis, David wrote: ‘She was celebrating inside I promise her reactions were slightly slower than mine.’

Victoria did warm up to the infectious energy inside Miami Stadium as she was later seen getting into the spirit by clapping along as England won the match 2-1.

Victoria has been joining David at the games despite famously saying she wasn’t a fan of football when she met him at a Manchester United match in 1997.

Ever the doting wife, Victoria ensured she attended every game she could, but confessed she didn’t enjoy the sport because she didn’t feel ‘wanted’ when she was pitch side.

However, in recent years Victoria has had a change of heart after David retired and set up his own club Inter Miami.

Victoria told the Financial Times in 2024: ‘I never enjoyed watching football. I never felt necessarily wanted [at the matches]. I’m not saying this as in, poor me, but it was never the fun that it is now.

‘Now, when we’re in Miami, I feel wanted. I’m friends with the families of the players.’