Barack Obama taunts David Beckham for modelling underwear

Barack Obama has teasingly described David Beckham as a "rare man" who could balance a long football career along with producing his own line of underwear.

The former England captain and his LA Galaxy team mates were lauded at the White House after winning the Major League Soccer Cup, America’s equivalent of the Premiership.

Turning to the 37-year-old Beckham, the 44th President of the US described him as "young up-and-comer".

"I have to say I gave David Beckham a hard time, and told him half the team could be his kids. We’re getting old, David," the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

But he conceded that the footballer was "holding up better than me" and said it was a "a rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear".

Beckham grinned with embarrassment as the young squad around him burst into laughter.

Already a major star in the US, his profile was further lifted by a sultry Superbowl ad where he modelled tight underpants for H and M before an audience of more than 160 million Americans.