David Beckham pinched himself when he met Tom Hanks.

David and Victoria Beckham

David and Victoria Beckham

The 40-year-old retired soccer superstar may have an impressive sporting career under his belt and an army of fans to boot but he has admitted he still gets riddled with nerves when he meets famous people.

David - who has just been named PEOPLE magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2015 - said: "What makes me nervous? I mean when I meet certain people, I'm very lucky to have met the people that I've met over the years.

"One of the greatest dinners that I'd ever been to was at the Ambassador's residence, I was on my own and I'd been asked to this amazing dinner. So there were three tables of ten and no one was giving you a table plan so I went to stand at my table and Tom Hanks is next to me on the left and then I look over and the President, he's sat there, and then next to the President was the Queen.

"So I had to pinch myself at that dinner!"

And despite being star-struck by President Barack Obama, he didn't have any problems striking up a conversation with the American leader about his beard.

He explained: "When you sit with the President of America he turns round to me and says, 'Why have you got so much facial hair?' Which was when I was growing the moustache and I had a bit more facial hair than I normally do."

The pair had a photograph taken with one another at that dinner and David has admitted he can't help but have a little chuckle when he looks back at it hung up at home.

He added to UK radio station Key 103: "When I look back it and think, you know, I have picture at home on my wall of me and him like really laughing."