David Beckham is a strict father because he and wife Victoria think it is important for their four kids to be "normal.”

The soccer star and his wife Victoria want their children - Brooklyn, 13, Romeo, nine, Cruz, seven, and 12-month-old Harper - to be "down-to-earth" to try to instill in them the values they were brought up with by their own parents.

He said: "They're normal kids. And that's because me and Victoria have kept our roots and a very English, down-to-earth living for the kids.

"We want to give them the same morals we had growing up, the way our parents brought us up, which was in a very strict way."

Although the Beckham family have not lived in the U.K. for over a decade, London-born David - who currently lives in Los Angeles, California, and has previously been based in Spain and Italy – thinks it is important to stay in touch with his roots.

He told Esquire magazine: "I've lived out of England now for 10 years but it doesn't change anything. I'll never forget where I'm from, never forget my roots. It doesn't matter where I live, I'm English, simple as that. And I want our kids to have an English upbringing."