Sh5 billion: David Beckham earns more from FIFA 21 than he did playing football

David Beckham attends a City of Miami Commissioners meeting where he and his partners presented plans of building a Major League Soccer stadium on public land in Miami, Florida. (Photo by RHONA WISE / AFP)

David Beckham is earning more playing in a football computer game than he did kicking a ball for real.

The retired star has won a £40million (Kenya Shillings 5 billion) three-year deal to appear in the FIFA 21 game on PlayStation and XBox.

A source said: “FIFA makers EA Sports offered him £30million over three years but he managed to get a better deal.

“It is a big addition to the Beckham brand and the easiest money he’s ever made.”

Beckham, 45, appears as a special player known as an “icon”.

And the US ­soccer team he owns, Inter Miami, will feature.

The ex-England skipper hung up his boots in 2013 after turns at Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris St Germain and LA Galaxy.

Becks, nicknamed Goldenballs by wife Victoria, was one of the game’s top earners – banking £100,000 a week at Old Trafford and clinching a £25million five-year deal in his move to LA Galaxy.

Becks said on Instagram : “I’m so proud to be returning to EA Sports with my FIFA 21 Beckham Edition cover.

“Excited to be back on the pitch as an icon with some of my old teammates!”

The £60 game was out last month. FIFA 12 is the fastest-selling sports game of all time with 3.2 million sold, making £140million in its first week.

The megabucks football game deals

Huge computer game deals are just business as usual for footie icons.

Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are some of the other big names starring in FIFA titles.

Former England ace Rooney holds the record for being on the most covers – every game from FIFA 06 to FIFA 12.

Ronaldo pocketed a seven-figure sum to be a FIFA cover star.

And in 2016, it was revealed he charged a Saudi Arabian company £920,000 for a half-day – including a photoshoot and signing five shirts.

Nike also reportedly paid Ronaldo $1billion for a lifetime deal, while petrol giant Castrol gave him an £8.2million two-year deal.

Other stars to have cashed in on gaming include film director Spike Lee, Canadian actress Ellen Page and rapper Travis Scott, who appeared in combat video game Fortnite.

The celebs appeared in an online battle which drew a record 12 million viewers worldwide.