Simon Fuller, the former Space Girls manager who helped guide David Beckham to global superstardom, says the one-time England star is “is the most patriotic guy there is” and couldn’t be more deserving of a knighthood.

It’s well-known that Beckham has long craved the ultimate recognition. Leaked emails from 2017 apparently show him raging at the selection committee, branding them “unappreciative c***s” and bitterly adding that he “didn’t care about being knighted.”

The emails – which Beckham has always insisted were faked – contain an extended rant which reads: ”I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of got something like this 10 years ago.”

Beckham is also reported to have criticised opera star Katherine Jenkins after she was given an OBE. “Katherine Jenkins OBE for what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops. F***ing joke.”

A spokesperson for David Beckham said: “This story is based on outdated material taken out of context from hacked and doctored private emails from a third party server and gives a deliberately inaccurate picture.”

Beckham’s somewhat elaborate tax affairs have been viewed as a possible handicap. Beckham, apparently a staunch royalist since childhood, received his OBE from the late Queen in 2003 but despite his burgeoning friendship with King Charles, some think that may be as far up the honours system as he can progress.

But Fuller – who created the Pop Idol TV franchise as well as guiding the likes of Amy Winehouse, Lewis Hamilton and Andy Murray – still thinks Beckham should be knighted.

“David is so patriotic,” he told The Sunday Times. “He is the most patriotic guy there is. Getting a knighthood would be the greatest honour to him, so I’m sure he does want that. It’s not a modern thing to care about, but he cares about it.”