David Beckham wants to look like Wolverine.

The Los Angeles Galaxy soccer player quashed speculation he has grown a beard out of superstition because his team have reached the play-offs, and has revealed the real reason is because he wants to dress as the mutant Marvel superhero - played by Hugh Jackman in the 'X-Men' films - for Halloween.

The 34-year-old sportsman - who has sons Brooklyn, 10, Romeo, seven, and four-year-old Cruz with his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham - said: "Halloween is coming up and I was thinking of Wolverine from 'X-Men'. It's not some play-off ritual. I'm just lazy and can't be bothered to shave. And everybody keeps telling me to cut it and I'm stubborn."

While David is proud of his beard, he recently topped a poll for having the worst facial hair in showbiz.

Siobhan McDermott - head buyer of feelunique.com, who commissioned the poll - said: "Bad facial hair can be disastrous for even the best looking men."

Although David's facial growth has been met with disapproval, he has received support from the Beard Liberation Front.

The group's organiser Keith Flett said: "He's got a retro beard, if you look at it, it's almost like mutton chops. It's the kind of stuff soccer players had in the 70s. It's an interesting choice because he could have gone for the designer style beard that is trendy and fashionable." - Bang! Extranet