David Beckham Tattoos: Every Tribute to Victoria and His Children

Long before it was normal for footballers to arrive for matches covered in ink, David Beckham made tattoos part of his image. Today he reportedly has more than 60, spread across his neck, arms, hands, torso, back and legs. Almost all of them tell a story about family, faith and love. Here are David Beckham's tattoos and the stories behind them.

Here is a guide to David Beckham's tattoos and what they are reported to mean.

Where it began: Brooklyn

Beckham's tattoo journey started in 1999, after the birth of his first son, Brooklyn. He had Brooklyn's name tattooed on his lower back, with a guardian angel later added above it on his upper back. In his memoir Both Feet on the Ground, Beckham wrote that his tattoos are about the important people in his life, whom he wants to have with him always.

Tattoos for his children

• Romeo: his second son's name sits on his back, beneath a winged cross on the back of his neck.
• Cruz: his third son's name is also on his lower back.
• Harper: his daughter's name is on his neck, later joined by the words "Pretty Lady".
• Jesus with three cherubs: a chest piece showing three cherubs carrying Jesus. Beckham has explained that the cherubs represent his three sons, and the idea that one day his boys will need to look after him.

Tattoos for Victoria

• "Victoria" in Sanskrit on his forearm. It has been widely reported that the spelling is not quite right, rendering the name closer to "Vihctoria".
• A Hebrew phrase meaning "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine", from the Song of Songs, which the couple reportedly marked their wedding anniversary with.
• The Roman numerals VIII.V.MMVI, 8 May 2006, reported to mark a private ceremony between the couple.
• "Ut Amem Et Foveam", Latin for "so that I love and cherish", alongside the Roman numeral VII, his famous shirt number.
• "99" on his little finger, marking 1999, the year of the couple's wedding and the year Manchester United won the Treble.

He has continued adding tributes to his wife, including one we covered in our story on David Beckham's new "Posh" tattoo.

Faith and philosophy

• A Chinese proverb running down his left side, commonly translated as "Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend upon heaven."
• "The Man of Sorrows": a black and grey image of Jesus, reported to be a tribute to his grandfather, who died in 2010.
• Angels and cherubs across his shoulders and legs.

Hands and fingers

In later years, Beckham added many tattoos to his hands, including the word "Love" with swallows, numbers linked to his shirt numbers, and a small drawing designed by his daughter Harper. Hand and finger tattoos are prone to fading, as we explain in our guide to tattoo placements.

His tattoo artists

Much of Beckham's early work was done by Manchester artist Louis Malloy. In recent years he has often been tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Social Club in Los Angeles, a legendary black and grey artist, who has praised him as an ideal client who sits remarkably well.

What his tattoos show

• Tattoos can grow with your life. Beckham added pieces as his family grew, creating a living record.
• Check spellings. The Sanskrit tattoo is a reminder to verify foreign language text with a fluent speaker. Our piece on tattoo regret covers this and other common mistakes.
• Black and grey ages well. Many of his pieces are in the black and grey style. See our tattoo styles guide.

For more football ink, read our guides to Lionel Messi's tattoos and why Cristiano Ronaldo has none.

Tattoo details as reported by Goal and other outlets. Some meanings are based on media reports rather than statements from Beckham.