Old Trafford played host to David Beckham's Unicef charity match in which he was subbed off for his son Brooklyn.

He's an international football superstar but David Beckham says when it comes to watching sport, he prefers rugby over the game which made him famous.

The former England captain and Manchester United midfielder told The Times he enjoyed watching this year's Rugby World Cup more than he ever enjoyed watching a football game.

Becks told the British publication, "I love rugby - I love watching it and I love the whole thing. I have enjoyed going to Twickenham more than I have enjoyed watching football."

STEFAN WERMUTH/REUTERS David Beckham (C) loves watching his rugby including being in the stands of England vs Argentina at Twickenham in 2013.

Unlike football, rugby matches were an example of "people sitting together with no nastiness", he said.

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The 40-year-old said as a child he "felt uneasy" watching a live game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

However, football still had huge appeal to the masses, he said.

"Football is so powerful... because it matters so much to people."

Beckham isn't the only famous footballer who enjoys watching rugby.

Phil Noble/Reuters Football great David Beckham says he likes that there's "no nastiness" between rugby fans when they watch a game.

During the Rugby World Cup Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was spotted at the New Zealand versus Argentina match.

Mourinho unabashedly supports physical football players and during New Zealand's win over Argentina at Wembley Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith were both sin-binned.

According to The Times former English football player George Cohen, whose nephew Ben helped England to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup, expressed similar feelings to Beckham earlier this year.



"There's something about the enthusiasm for the game in a rugby crowd that beats football, where the spectators can soon turn against a team if things are going wrong. There are wonderful crowds at Liverpool and Manchester, of course, but rugby crowds are special."



