David Beckham Scores Big Payday for Tabloid "Play"
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David Beckham won it on a penalty.
The world's most famous soccer star and hubby of Posh Spice was today awarded "substantial" damages in London's High Court from a U.K. tabloid that published a false story claiming he "made a play" for model Mariann Fogarasy.
Per the BBC, Express Group Newspapers was forced to issue a retraction and apologize to the 34-year-old Beckham and his family after its Daily Star reported he sent emails to the Hungarian-born beauty inviting her to a "private party" after they met at an AC Milan soccer match.
Newspaper rep Kate Wilson acknowledged the fabricated tale—featured on the Star's front page and website with the headline "Becks and the Blonde Beauty: Topless Model Claims She Was Chatted Up by Footie Star"—caused the Beckhams embarassment, distress and inury. The newspaper will also pick up his legal bills.
"Ninety percent of what is written about us is invented. The last one was this story about the Hungarian model," Beckham recently told the Italian paper
La Stampa. "I have never been out to dinner with this young lady. If I took the time to deny every story, I wouldn't have time to be a footballer."
No word on the exact damages award to the L.A. Galaxy hunk and wife Victoria. Neither attended the hearing, but Beckham's attorney, Gerrard Tyrrell, told the judge the allegations were not true and defamatory.
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