Obama meets Beckham at White House (From Ilkley Gazette)

Obama meets Beckham at White House

12:09am Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

US president Barack Obama has ribbed football star David Beckham about his age and his outside interests - saying it is a "rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear".

Mr Obama welcomed former England captain Beckham and the rest of the Los Angeles Galaxy team to the White House to celebrate its third Major League Soccer title.

The president joked about the all-star lineup of Galaxy, led by Beckham.

Mr Obama told the 37-year-old Briton that half of his teammates "could be his kids... We're getting old, David".

The president said the model and athlete was "holding up better than me".

Beckham gained widespread attention in the US in February when H&M aired adverts for his new underwear collection during the Super Bowl, the showpiece finale of the NFL American football season.