David Beckham Brushes Off World Cup Boos Amid Tom Cruise Mingle

David Beckham was booed by fans at the World Cup final after giving a diplomatic answer on who should win the tournament.

What happened?

The former England footballer was heckled by the audience at Fanatics Fest in New York on Saturday after he refused to give a clear answer on who would take the trophy. He said he wanted Lionel Messi to do well because he's an exceptional player and person, but also praised Spain's team for their exceptional job this World Cup.

Why it matters for David Beckham

The backlash against Beckham has sparked a debate online, with some fans defending him and others calling him out for his "typical PR move." Beckham's response has been met with a mix of boos and cheers, with some fans praising him for handling the situation with style.

What comes next?

Beckham watched the World Cup final alongside his wife Victoria, son Romeo, and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull, as well as other A-listers like Tom Cruise and BTS singer Taehyung. The couple also mingled with US cook and TV star Martha Stewart at their suite, with Martha praising them on Instagram.

Beckham's outing came hours after he was brutally heckled for failing to give a clear answer on who should win the final. "I'm going to sit on the fence. I don't know who's going to win. I want Lionel to do incredibly well because he's an exceptional person and player," he said.

The audience were quick to turn on him with boos and jeers, prompting him to laugh and say: "Oh, come on!" He added: "I haven't been booed for a while. I wasn't expecting it here."

Beckham's response divided fans online, with some calling him out for his "typical PR move" and others defending him. "Booing Becks is crazy, what was their actual beef with him?" someone wrote. "You are the man David. You know how to handle boos with style! Go David!!!" another fan enthused.

Beckham hit the headlines when he became emotional during England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. His son Cruz wrapped his arm around his father after Lautaro Martínez's late winner silenced England fans inside Atlanta Stadium.

The 51-year-old ignored the controversy on Sunday as he watched Spain take on Argentina in the final alongside his wife Victoria, 52, son Romeo, 23, and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 24, and son Cruz, 21, and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 29.