LONDON, Oct 5 (AFP) - Living full-time with four armed guards who protect his mansion in Madrid and family inside is not David Beckham's dream, but it's a small price to pay for his glamorous football life, the Real Madrid star said in an interview published Tuesday.
Beckham and his pop star wife Victoria live under the unblinking gaze of the world's paparazzi, but the England captain - who has done his fair share to drum up the media attention - told London's Evening Standard newspaper he would never complain.
"Sometimes you sit back and think I would love to be able to take my children over the park and play with them without the worry of anyone taking pictures or just watching.
"But don't get me wrong, I would never complain about my life or what football has given me," he said.
"We don't like having the security, but unfortunately it is necessary for the children and for Victoria. It is part of our life, not something that we want," the 29-year-old said.
Beckham moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in July 2003, first leaving his family back in Britain so that Victoria -- a former Spice Girl -- could work on her flagging music career.
But earlier this year a tempestuous media storm was kicked up over an alleged affair between Beckham and his assistant in Madrid, Rebecca Loos, and soon afterward Victoria, now pregnant with their third child, and sons Romeo and Brooklyn moved to Madrid.
"While I am with my family, I do like my private time. It would be great to just go out but we can't do that," Beckham told the paper.
The tattooed footballer was back in Manchester on Tuesday to sign copies of the paperback edition of his autobiography and prepare for Saturday's World Cup clash against Wales at Old Trafford.
Around 350 people waited outside the bookstore in the city to meet Beckham, whose book David Beckham: My Side was shortlisted for book of the year at the British Book Awards.
The new paperback edition contains three extra chapters, one of which discusses the year in Spain in which he was accused of cheating on Victoria with Loos.