David Beckham sits down with CNBC's Tanya Breyer at the World Economic Forum 2025.
David Beckham spoke about the “simple values” his parents taught him and passed on to his children, in a conversation with CNBC anchor Tanya Breyer at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The former football star attended the World Economic Forum for the first time to receive the Crystal Award for Philanthropy, for his work protecting vulnerable children as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005.
Briar asked Beckham where his passion for making a difference comes from and the values his parents taught him.
“I think they instilled in me the right values, which are the simple values of treating everyone the same and showing respect to people, and I tried to do the same with my children,” Beckham said.
The 49-year-old father of four said his youngest, Harper, is 13 and his eldest, Brooklyn, is 25.
“My kids all know to let a woman through the door before they do. They stand up when the lady leaves the table, shake hands, make eye contact. You know all those values, what pleases them, what they're thankful for.
Beckham added: “All my children have been saying please and thank you since they were two or three years old. So it's the simple values that Victoria and I grew up with that we've tried to instill in our children.”
He said having children also inspired his work with children around the world. Beckham has traveled extensively to raise awareness about… UNICEF's work with children. He has visited Cambodia to meet children who have been victims of violence and abuse, South Africa to meet families affected by HIV and AIDS, and the Philippines where he met children affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
“I've taken a few of my kids on different trips. They know exactly the work I do for UNICEF. They all want to be involved in the UNICEF work I do. They all want to help in different ways and different charities. .
“I keep showing them pictures upon pictures upon pictures when I come home from these trips, and it gives them a real sense of what's going on in the world, and I think that's very important.”
In his speech at the awards ceremony, Beckham also stressed that girls are “held back” by poverty, violence and discrimination.
“I want my daughter, Harper, to have the same opportunities as her brothers, and that should be the case for all girls everywhere. Being a girl shouldn't define what you can do, where you can go, or who you can become.” He said.
Beckham touched on several topics in his conversation with Breyer including his famous 20-year football career from 1992 to 2013, during which he became president and co-owner of Inter Miami Football Club, and his partners. Ideas on social media.
