Sir David Beckham has a "softer" parenting style than his own dad.

The 50-year-old retired footballer - who has sons Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 23, Cruz, 20 and 14-year-old daughter Harper with his wife Lady Victoria - has opened up about his approach to fatherhood, and how he learned from his own parents Ted and Sandra.

He told James Corden's This Life of Mine podcast: "I am different with my kids - I'm a lot softer than my dad was.

"But there's certain traits that I do have the same as my dad."

The Manchester United legend revealed he has his own technique for showing his true feelings.

That includes when his sons - who all spent time playing football at the Arsenal Academy - have been out on the pitch.

He added: "I go quiet, actually. And then the boys know exactly whether I'm happy or not happy."

In the interview - which was released this week but recorded last year - David also insisted he has tried to pass on "the same values" his mum and instilled in him and his siblings.

He said: "I would like to say that I brought my children up with the same values as what my dad and mum taught me and my sisters.

"My kids are very polite. My kids are very well mannered. My kids are humble and they all have the same values as what I have and my wife has.

"That's the proudest thing that we have as parents, in all honesty."

David heaped praise on Victoria, 51, for giving him "the greatest" gift - their four children.

He said: "Family has always been important and the greatest thing [Victoria] has ever given me is my four children.

"We created this life with four amazing children which are the most important things in our life."

David's son Brooklyn is believed to be estranged from his famous parents, having been absent from his dad's 50th birthday celebrations earlier this year, while he and wife Nicola Peltz also snubbed his knighthood ceremony.

However, the chef insisted he "never" worries about gossip as he praised his wife.

He told the Daily Mail newspaper: "There's always going to be people saying negative things but I have a very supportive wife.

"Me and her, we just do our thing, we just keep our heads down and work. And we're happy.

"Everyone is always going to say rubbish. I just try and do this, play some golf with some friends. It's good fun."