James Corden pranks David Beckham with hideous statue - Today Show

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March 12, 2019, 12:47 PM GMT / Source: TODAY

By Scott Stump

An athlete getting a statue of himself outside the stadium where he became a legend is usually the ultimate honor.

James Corden had retired British soccer superstar David Beckham reconsidering that notion with an ingenious prank he unveiled on Monday night's episode of "The Late Late Show."

Corden had a fake, ugly statue created two months ago that had Beckham cringing at the thought of it being unveiled by his old team, the L.A. Galaxy, during a ceremony on March 2 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The late-night host sought a statue that would be "the right balance between realistic and absolutely terrible."

The result was a monstrosity that gave Beckham a horse face with an elongated chin, three teeth, a protruding backside and freakishly long arms. They unveiled it to Beckham behind the scenes ahead of the ceremony to get his reaction as Corden doubled over with laughter while watching nearby on a hidden camera.

It was reminiscent of the treatment given to another famous soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo, who was honored with a bronze bust in his hometown of Portugal in 2017 that had the internet in hysterics because it didn't look anything like him.

Beckham tried to maintain his composure as comedian Maz Jobrani, dressed to impersonate actual sculptor Omri Amrany, did his best to try to sell Beckham on his vision.

March 28, 201700:25

"It's slightly different than what it was when I saw it in Chicago,'' Beckham said. "I mean, look at my chin. It doesn't really look nothing like me. I mean, look at my eyes. The only thing that's good is that hair and that's about it.

"I really don't see how this can go out,'' a distraught Beckham continued. "Look how long my arms are. I honestly look like Stretch Armstrong."

When a forklift "accidentally" tips over the statue and breaks it in a million pieces, Beckham is more relieved than upset.

"You've probably done me a favor there,'' he said.

Corden then comes bounding out from behind the scenes to yell, "Oh my God, what's happened?"

Beckham can only dissolve in a string of expletives in relief at getting pranked. The actual, great-looking statue of Beckham was unveiled outside the stadium as planned earlier this month.

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