David Beckham celebrates World Cup opening after ignoring Joe Lycett's demands

David Beckham has continued to celebrate the World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar, despite Joe Lycett’s calls for him to end his deal with the country.

On Sunday afternoon, comedian Lycett shredded £10,000 in a live-stream, after the football star ignored his demands in the ‘Benders Like Beckham’ campaign.

Lycett promised to donate the money to charities supporting queer people in football if Becks cut ties with Qatar, where it is illegal to be gay.

Alas, Beckham did not respond and has made no public comment on the matter and, as a result, Lycett’s cash went into a monstrous shredder and came out in tiny pieces.

It’s not been confirmed whether the bank notes were real or fake, but it was certainly a bold gesture that attracted publicity – and divided fans.

Continuing to keep schtum on the saga, Beckham – who is reportedly earning £10million for being the face of Qatar – attended the opener of the tournament.

Posting on his Instagram Story, the former Manchester United player shared a snap of the pitch as performers took to the floor and fans in the stands held up flashlights.

The footie legend and Unicef ambassador has received immense backlash for promoting Qatar, due to its human rights issues.

As well as homosexuality being punishable by imprisonment and even death in Qatar, there’s also a severe lack of rights for women.

What’s more, over 6,000 migrant workers have died since the country was awarded the World Cup 10 years ago.

However, Beckham has been very vocal about his love for the Arab country.

In a promotional video, he referred to it as an ‘incredible place’ and said he couldn’t wait to take his kids back there.

A spokesperson for Beckham previously told Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade and went on to play for PSG [Paris Saint-Germain], so he has seen the passion for football in the country and the long-term commitment that’s been made to hosting the World Cup and delivering a lasting legacy for the region.

‘He’s always talked about the power of football as a force for good … As we reach the one-year-to-go point, he will join the wider football community that is coming together for the World Cup 2022.’

His team have not commented since, despite the criticism, and Lycett himself has been unable to get in contact.

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