David, congratulations on the new baby. You really wanted another child, didn't you?
Well, according to the papers I 'ordered' Victoria to have another baby.

I'd like to see you try to order Victoria to do anything.
Exactly [laughs]. The truth is we both wanted another one and it's also been written that Victoria was having fertility treatment, which she wasn't. It was just a case of picking when to have another baby we are so busy.

So you had to make do with just practicing for a while.
Exactly. Which is the best thing, I like practicing [smiles]. But I adore children. I love the fact that our children are part of both of us, it's one of the most amazing things ever.

Do you find Victoria attractive when she's pregnant?
Really attractive [enthusiastically]. I think it's one of the sexiest times in a woman's life. When the little bump starts to appear, you think God, then you get the baby books out and realise their little fingernails are growing and that tomorrow, something else will have grown. Having a baby is the most amazing thing that you can do.

Would you like a girl or boy this second time around?
I don't mind. As long as it's healthy - touch wood - I'm not bothered either way.

Have you been amused by the newspapers' name suggestions?
Yeah! I've heard Paris for a girl, Essex or Trafford have also been mentioned.

Peckham?
Peckham Beckham. That's not good. We definitely won't be going with that.

Will you succumb to the services of a nanny when you have two children to look after?
No. We've got two great nannies - our parents. We'd be totally lost without them. It's not easy juggling it all, because Victoria spends a lot of time in London and I'm up in Manchester most of the time, but we get by. I don't have a problem with nannies, but we don't need one, we manage as we are.

You suprised a lot of people recently when delivering some funny lines and quick put-downs in Victoria's documentary, Being Victoria Beckham. Why has it taken you so long to relax on camera?
But I've always been like that. I just think people haven't seen that side to me, because everyone's been so quick to say that I'm really thick or I haven't got a brain. I've just let people believe that. It doesn't bother me. People will think whatever they want to think.

It's usually Victoria who comes out with the one-liners and indiscreet comments. Like when she said that, just minutes after she'd given birth to Brooklyn, you asked her to do your hair so you could go and announce his birth to the press.
This is actually true, which is quite embarrassing [groans]. But I was going through that phase where I had that big fringe and I couldn't do it myself.

But my favourite is her saying that the reason she's so slim is because you're an animal in bed.
Well that one's true! That's definitely one of the true ones. But I don't mind that [laughs]

This month, you're the first man to appear alone on the cover of Marie Claire.
That's what made me want to do it, because I'm the first man ever to go on the cover. I was like, "Wow!". I was so excited about doing this shoot, really excited.

The last time you appeared in Marie Claire was as a contributing photographer taking pictures of Victoria for us.
I thought they looked good - I was quite proud of myself. I've obviously never done anything like that before, but it was nice taking pictures of Victoria. It's always nice taking pictures of beautiful people, and because Victoria's so beautiful, she made it easy.

At the time of going to press, David had suffered the injury to his foot and his World Cup dreams hung in the balance.

The world Cup is getting closer. In light of your experiences in 1998, are you breaking out in cold sweats at the thought of it?
No, I'm not nervous, just really excited.

When were you told you'd be the England captain for the world cup?
I haven't been told that I'm going to be. I'm just hoping that I am [laughs]

Is that normal?
Yeah. I've been captain for a year now, so I would imagine I'll be doing it in Japan. I'd be disappointed if I wasn't.

To be told you'll captain your country is every footballer's dream. How did you react when you got the call?
It happened about a year ago. It was 8am and I was staying over at Gary Neville's house when the phone rang. I thought 'Who the hell is that?' but it was Peter Taylor [England caretaker manager] saying he was naming me as captain in the squad announcement that day. I was so proud, because it was something I'd always dreamed of, but I was also really suprised.

Why Surprised?
I was surprised that someone had had the balls to give me the job, because it could have been a controversial decision.

What did you say when you were told?
I think I swore.

You never swear publicly, but you do swear on the pitch, don't you?
I know and I shouldn't, but everyone does during a game, you can't help it. I don't swear at home though, because I don't want Brooklyn picking it up.

Are you quite a bossy captain?
On the pitch I am, because you have to take charge and be assertive, but off the pitch I'm not. I've got someone around me who already does that. [He gestures towards Victoria and laughs]

Do you get nervous before or during a game? You know, when you're taking a free kick or a corner, when all eyes are on you?
Never [emphatically]. I've been practicing those my whole life, it's what comes naturally I don't really suffer with nerves.

But you did when you went on Parkinson
Yeah I did [Laughs]. I'd never been on a programme like that before, so I don't know what to expect. There was a lot of stuff in the media saying Parky wouldn't bother to ask me any intelligent questions, because I wouldn't know how to answer them.

At this point, the hairdresser steps in to cut David's hair for the shoot. A scenario any betting man would love to witness, since weeks of speculation as to which look David will take with him to Japan has provoked William Hill to open a book with the odds varying between the mohican, the skinhead and the 'retro' blond curtains.

David, what is it with you and your ever-changing hairstyles?
I just like to change things. I know people think I'm trying to make some kind of statement, but I'm not. When I had the mohican, there was so much made of it, it was unbelievable. I was playing for England at the time and when I was at the games, I saw these little kids walking around the grounds with the same haircut.

Does it Irrititate or Flatter you?
It flatters me when it's the kids.

Have you ever considered having a laugh with your fashion clout and trying to bring back something hideous, like the mullet?
[Laughs] If it looked good, I'd do it, but I don't think the mullet would look good. Don't laugh, but when I was younger, I wanted one of those hairdo's where it's short at the sides and straight on top, then long at the back and curly. I really wanted one of them, but my mum would never let me have it.

There's a brilliant story your mum tells about your first attempts at clothes shopping when you were seven and you'd been asked to be a page boy.
I know exactly the story you're talking about and it's all true [giggling]

Against her better judgement, you chose...
White ballet shoes, white knee-high socks, maroon knickerbockers and a matching waistcoat and white frilly shirt. I though it looked good. Maybe it was all the excitement of being a page boy.

But your mum warned you that people might laugh at you. Didn't that concern you?
I've never cared what people think of me. I'm sure they say I look stupid in a lot of the things I wear now. But even with the sarong, my dad, who's a real man's man, thought it looked alright. And I liked it at the time.

People say you're vain. do you think so.
I just like to look good. I don't love myself and I don't think I'm vain. Do you think I'm vain?

You can see why people might think you're a bit of a big girls blouse, because you have manicures, sunbeds and bleach your hair.
But it makes you feel good, doesn't it?

How are your nails today?
They need doing actually! [He holds both hands out for inspection.] I sound like a girl, don't I ? [laughs]

You're also one of the few footballers to become a gay icon.
And I'm flattered. I'm very comfortable, with it.

The way you look garners so much press attention - you'd have a much quieter life if you toned it down sometimes.
But I like nice clothes, whether they're dodgy or not. Sometimes, it looks right and other times it doesn't, but everyone goes through that.

Is there any look or outfit you look back on and cringe at?
Probably the blond curtains and a recent haircut which was a sort of army look, short back and sides and slightly longer on the top - that was a bad idea [shakes head ruefully.]

And then there was a photo shoot I did for the Manchester United magazine, where I wore lots of different ties and pulled silly faces. That was pretty bad, but you learn along the way.

Do you think you are a bit of a showman?
Probably.

Is that why you like taking free kicks and so on, because it's a chance to take centre stage?
I do like to be looked at in that way. I like people to look at me for my football and think 'wow'

Would it bother you if someone came into the game who was better in that role than you are?
No, because I'd have to get better. I'm very competitive like that.

Do you think that people underestimate just how ambitious you are, because you don't really shout it?
Probably, but I've never made a secret of my ambitions. I've always said I wanted to play for Manchester United and then for England and then to be England captain.

Most stars of your ilk, like Robbie, Madonna, Elton and even your wife, are very outspoke and flamboyant.
But it's not my style. I'd rather people talked about my football then me.

But you are a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde in many respects. You're very placid off the pitch, but you can be very hot-headed when you're playing.
I've been criticised for it over the years, and quite rightly so. I'd kick out at people. It was something I went through when I was younger, and for some reason, I just kept snapping. That comes back to haunt you, as I've learned, but I think I've managed to get it under control now.

There must have been times when you've been tempted to lose it in stressful public situations, too, like with a paparazzo.
I nearly lost it once. Me and Victoria were out having a meal and two photographers jumped out from nowhere and one of them knocked her with their camera. She was pregnant at the time, so I snapped at them, but these days, you can get sued for so many things, so I keep my temper in check.

If you could buy back your anonymity, would you?
In situations like that, yeah. But to be fair, I don't think I'd change much about my life, and I don't think I'm really in a situation to complain, because I've put myself in this position and I consider myself to be privileged to be doing what I do. We don't ask for most of the publicty we get but, in this day and age, it comes with the job.

The interview is halted briefly by a breathless entrance from Brooklyn, who has been running around the studio playing chase with his mother. He's dwarfed by the football he's carrying - the official Adidas Beckham ball, no less - and has come looking for his dad in the hope of a game. The three-year-old stops in his tracks when he catches sight of David's hair, which is smeared in blue bleach.

'Hair Daddy?' he says, looking worried.
'Yeah, it's going to be white,' placates his father.
'White', says Brooklyn.
'That's right', David replies.
'Oh. I want a wee-wee, Daddy'
'Alright buster, let Daddy help you.' says David. And he cordially excuses himself while he leads his son by the hand to the little boy's room.

I bet you're relieved for Brooklyn that he can play football well.
[Laughs] That would be awful [if he couldn't play], wouldn't it? But he's really good, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his dad. I'd love him to be a footballer when he grows up, really love it. He just picked up a ball one day and started kicking it, and he just gets better and better. He's fearless with a ball and he loves it. But he's got Victoria's musical side in him as well - he picks up songs really quickly when he hears them on the radio. Once he's heard a song a few times, he knows how it's going to end or how it goes. He's got rhythm too, which he definitely gets from his mum.

In her last interview with Marie Claire, Victoria told us that you had no rhythm and that you were a hopeless dancer.
It's true. I can't dance. I went to see Usher in concert, and he can really dance. But not me, I don't even try.

You recently went to an Oasis gig in Manchester too, which I thought was very brave of you, considering the group are very vocal Manchester City fans.
Well, Gary Neville absolutely loves them, so I got the tickets. But I knew I might get a bit of stick, because Liam had slaughtered me and Victoria in a magazine interview about a month before. I have to say, it was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen, apart from the Spice Girls and stuff Victoria's done, obviously. Halfway through, Noel said, 'I want you all on your feet for this next song, and that includes you Mr Beckham.' So I was quite pleased that I got off lightly. I expected worse, to be honest, and then the fans started singing my name, so that was pretty amazing.

Going to gigs must be hard in terms of being able to just blend into the crowd. What other things would you like to do, but can't.
Most things are quite tricky in terms of going out. But what I miss doing, and so does Victoria, is just sitting in a bar in London or one of those pavement cafes, having a drink in the sunshine. I'd love to take Brooklyn to play football in Hyde Park too, but it wouldn't work. We just can't do it.

Brookyln enters the room again. He takes his dad by the hand and they wander off in the direction of the photographer...