David Beckham did not win a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list for the second time in a row.

The renowned English player won over the hearts of the country during his playing career and continues to enjoy enormous popularity. The former Three Lions captain was awarded an OBE in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, although he has subsequently faced widespread criticism.

Several football players, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Beckham’s Manchester United coach, have been knighted. No player, however, has had one in decades. Sports figures such as Lewis Hamilton and Jason Kenny have recently been knighted.

Despite widespread support, several of Beckham’s post-retirement decisions have been criticized. Despite being caught up in a clever tax evasion scheme in 2013, he was declared not guilty and reinstated to the official list of recommendations two years later.

Following the publication of a devastating series of emails in 2017, his chances of receiving an honor were further harmed. In the emails, Beckham chastised the awards committee for leaving him out. He said he didn’t “care about being knighted” and called them “unappreciative c***s.”

He was also accused of writing, “I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of [sic] got something like this 10 years ago.”