David Beckham called 'thick' by New Zealand Prime Minister

New Zealand's Prime Minister has called David Beckham 'thick'. Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Archive

Footballer David Beckham has been called "thick" by New Zealand's Prime Minister, according to a radio station.

John Key - who met the former England captain when LA Galaxy played in Auckland in 2008 - told schoolchildren in Dunedin that his son spent 45 minutes with the star.

The Prime Minister said Beckham, 37, had been friendly and was handsome but was also as "thick as bat----", Radio New Zealand reported.

Mr Key tweeted a picture of him with students in Dunedin:

Beckham travelled to New Zealand for an Oceania All Stars match against LA Galaxy - just a month after Mr Key had been elected.

Only 16,000 fans attended the game that cost the region $1.8 million New Zealand Dollars (around £930,000), according to the radio station.

The Prime Minister's office had no comment to make on the matter, according to the site.

Beckham has previously faced ridicule for several comments he has made.

He once said: "My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about seven".

Speaking on faith, he said: "We're definitely going to get Brooklyn christened but we don't know into which religion".