David Beckham thinks being famous is a ''huge privilege.''

The 38-year-old retired football star, who has three sons, Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 11, Cruz, eight, and a two-year-old daughter, Harper, with his wife Victoria Beckham, claims he still finds it surreal when fans ask him to pose for a photograph.

He told The Times Magazine: ''Whenever I go out people try to take pictures. I am not complaining, because it is a huge privilege to be famous and have a platform to do things that I believe in. But it can be surreal.''

The heartthrob also insists he has no problem being a stay at home dad while his wife expands her fashion empire, and enjoys treating his family to homemade meals.

He said: ''I've been away such a lot in my career, I feel that when I am with them I should do everything possible.''

But he added: ''I feel a pang of regret whenever I watch sport; the sense that I will never play a big match again. I guess those feelings are inevitable when you have just retired from sport.''