Beckham scores hat-trick with baby boy
An ecstatic-looking Beckham said: “We’re a very happy family.”
Speaking outside the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid, where his wife gave birth yesterday, Beckham said: “I have two beautiful sons already and now I have another beautiful son called Cruz. He’s gorgeous, healthy and his mum is very good. So we’re a very happy family.”
The latest addition to the Beckham family was born at 9.40am (Irish time) by Caesarean section, weighing 7lb 2oz.
Both mother and child are “in perfect health”.
However, the choice of the name Cruz, which means cross in the couple’s adopted home country, has already baffled experts.
It is more commonly used as a surname - as in actress Penelope Cruz - but is also an old-fashioned Christian name which is normally given to girls.
Spokesman for the two stars, Simon Oliveira, said he could not comment further on the choice of name but it is sure to lead to as much speculation of that surrounding their other sons Brooklyn, five, and two-year-old Romeo.
The couple announced Victoria’s third pregnancy in August last year, saying they were “delighted” at the “fantastic news”.
The baby was initially said to be due in early March but recent reports had claimed the 30-year-old former Spice Girl would have a Caesarean on Friday next week.
She had to have a Caesarean because her first two children were born that way, also for medical reasons.
Brooklyn, born in March 1999 and named after the place where he was conceived, was a breech birth.
Victoria’s second Caesarean was on doctor’s orders. Romeo was born in September 2002 at the private Portland Hospital in London.
News of her latest pregnancy came after allegations that Beckham, aged 29, had an affair.
In April last year, the footballer was forced to make an on-the record denial of claims of an affair with 26-year old personal assistant Rebecca Loos.
Beckham branded the allegations “ludicrous” in a statement soon afterwards.
He said at the time: “The simple truth is that I am very happily married, have a wonderful wife and two very special kids.”
Bookmakers William Hill said that no one managed to guess the name of the baby, adding that the closest anyone got was Santa.
The bookies are offering odds of 100/1 that baby Cruz will one day play first-team football for England, 500/1 that two sons will play for England, 1,000/1 that all three boys will play for England and 10,000/1 that they all play for Spain.
