Beckham: Giggs set the benchmark at Manchester United

David Beckham was "honoured" to receive the Legend of Football award at the 20thAnniversity HMV Football Extravaganza on Tuesday, and he praised former team-mate and 2014 award winner Ryan Giggs for setting the benchmark for their remarkable success at Manchester United.

The pair both went on to become Barclays Premier League icons and won 19 Barclays Premier League titles between them after forcing their way into Sir Alex Ferguson's Man Utd team in the 1990's.

Beckham also captained England and continued his illustrious career overseas after his departure from Old Trafford in 2003, while Giggs remained at Old Trafford and is now assistant manager to Louis van Gaal after hanging up is boots in May 2014.

Beckham was recognised for his achievements at a special awards dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel, which raised £541,000 for music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, and received the honour from last year's winner, Giggs.

Speaking after collecting his award, Beckham said: "The players and the staff we had going through from such a young age, that's what drove us on. It wasn't about fame or earning as much money as you can. It was all about wanting to play for United.

"I think the prime example is Ryan Giggs. To be a player who has represented one club through his career, that doesn't happen anymore; for a player to have represented his club and his country the way he has and now. At some point, he will hopefully become United manager in the future.

"He was the one that set the benchmark for us. He was the one we looked up to and yet he was only a year or two older than us. We never reached his heights because he is one of the best players of all time. We were just lucky enough to become team-mates of his. We looked at him and said, 'If the manager is giving Giggsy a chance at such a young age, then maybe at some point he will give us a chance.'"