Sir David Beckham has had an operation to repair a broken wrist he suffered in 2003.

The 50-year-old football legend sustained the injury whilst playing for England in a friendly game against South Africa but has now had surgery to solve the problem for good after a recent X-ray showed that a screw that was used to patch up the problem at the time had embedded in his forearm after it didn't dissolve properly.

David was pictured smiling as he was snapped with his arm in a blue sling following the procedure as his wife Victoria Beckham posted the message: "Get well soon daddy."

A separate Instagram snap showed the former England captain wearing a wristband that read "get well soon".

A source told The Sun newspaper of Beckham's injury: "David has been in pain for years but thought nothing of it.

"He just kept going until, in recent months, it became quite unbearable.

"A routine scan showed that the pin which was meant to have dissolved, hadn't - so he was booked in to finally resolve the issue all these years later.

"Victoria was at his bedside post op and all went well. He's in great spirits."

David recently revealed that his body suffered lots of "wear and tear" during his glittering football career and recalled how he needed three injections in his ankle to play in his final match for Real Madrid in 2007.

He said: "Certain parts of my body were a real mess."

Beckham was knighted in King Charles' Birthday Honours earlier this month for his services to sport and charity and declared himself as "incredibly humbled" by the accolade.

He said: "Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.

"To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career, and literally a boyhood dream come true."

David - who has children Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and 13-year-old Harper Seven with Victoria - admits that it will "take a little while" to comprehend the honour.

He said: "I've been so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment.

"It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family."