David Beckham has admitted it's "quite painful" not having all his children at home as they grow up and fly the nest.
The footballer, 49, shares the candid admission as he fronts 10 editions of Men’s Health around the world, including the UK’s April issue, ahead of his 50th birthday in May.
Beckham and his wife, Spice Girl-turned-fashion-designer Victoria Beckham welcomed four children together; Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and 13-year-old Harper, who remains the only child at their Holland Park home.
With Brooklyn married to actress Nicola Peltz living across the pond and his two other sons spreading their wings in London, the sports star admitted "what I would give to have that back" all four children under the one roof.
Speaking to Men's Health UK Editor-at-Large, Gordon Smart, he shared: “We’re not quite there yet but it's actually painful. We’ve gone from having four in the house to one. What I would give to have that back and be able to walk in, moaning to them about it [wet towels on bedroom floors]!”
With that being said, it seems his sons always have time to invite him to the pub for a catch-up, he added: "My boys are pretty good. They'll always ask me to the pub when they go with their mates.”
Ahead of his milestone birthday, Beckham said he's not "bothered" about getting older, and in fact has never felt happier.
“Doesn’t bother me one bit," he said when asked about turning 50. “People are asking me about it gently, like it should be a big issue. It's not something that I'm worried about, as long as I'm fit and healthy and my family are healthy, that's all I care about.
“I'm really happy. I've got the business and an amazing family. My kids are all working hard, and they've all got passions, and that's what's important to me.”
Beckham said that his body is "actually feeling better than it has done for a long time" and relies on his long-time personal trainer, Bobby Rich, to help keep him in check - and now Victoria too, up to six times a week.
“I've been trying to get Victoria to work out with [personal trainer] Bob [Rich] for years, and she finally agreed to adjust her workout," he said. "And now we do five days a week, sometimes six together.
“I love training with Victoria. I give her a lot of grief. We both give each other plenty of grief. She’s not very good at listening to Bobby…She does her own thing. She’s not great at taking a rest. He’ll get her to have 90 seconds rest and she’ll be ready to go after 25 seconds.”
The full interview with David Beckham can be read in the April issue of Men’s Health UK, on sale from Tuesday, March 4.
