He was the best-paid footballer of his time – but it turns out that retirement is far more lucrative for David Beckham than his glory days on the pitch. The former England captain, 39, made £50.5million last year, despite having hung up his football boots in 2013. US magazine Forbes puts him second in a list of the highest-earning retired athletes after basketball star Michael Jordan, 52, who took £67million in 2014. Scroll down for video . David Beckham at a photocall during the filimg of a Diageo advert from its new single grain whisky, Haig Club, which the former footballer endorses . After Beckham ended his 20-year football career, his earnings were ‘supercharged’ by two deals that netted him more than £13.5million last year. It says: ‘Beckham was the top-paid player in soccer, including endorsements, for most of the last dozen years of his career. ‘But in his first full year of retirement, Beckham posted the highest earnings of his career with $75 million [£50.5 million] in 2014. His previous high was $51 [£34.3 million] in 2012.’ One was with drinks giant Diageo to launch Haig Club whisky. The other was with the Global Brands Group in Hong Kong to create his own branded products such as clothes and luxury goods. The former England captain has also fronted a campaign for H&M underwear, right, and has a partnership with Coty, which sells Beckham fragrances . Forbes said: ‘The deals also have significant potential thanks to Beckham’s ownership stake in the ventures. ‘Beckham remains one of the top product pitchmen in sports, with a dozen deals to his name, including four in China.’ Other endorsements include Adidas, Sky Sports, Breitling watches and Samsung. He also has a partnership with the cosmetics firm Coty, which sells Beckham-branded fragrances such as Instinct worth more than £67million a year. Forbes said the contract, which runs into 2017, makes an estimated £4million annually for Beckham. The former footballer in an advert for Armani. His earnings were ‘supercharged’ by two deals that netted him more than £13.5million last year . It added: ‘Beckham partnered with Swedish retailer H&M in 2012 for a line of bodywear. The venture expanded with swimwear in 2014. 'A new line of menswear this year will expand product offerings, as well as Beckham’s take. Doing business with Brand Beckham tends to be good business for everyone involved.’ Marc Ganis, president of consultancy Sportscorp, told Forbes: ‘These athletes created brands for themselves before people focused on brands. Bechham starring in an advert for Pepsi alongside Modern Family star Sophia Vergara in the US . ‘Their brands received a tremendous amount of free publicity every time they were on TV or reporters wrote about them. Some of them converted that brand into a lot more than a free car at the local dealership.’ Beckham earned a £1.95million-a year base salary with US club LA Galaxy in 2012. He retired from the sport in May 2013 after five months at French club Paris Saint-Germain, where he donated his £170,000-a-week salary to a children’s charity. Beckham has also famously posed in his underpants for fashion house Giorgio Armani, and has lucrative promotional contracts with companies including Adidas, clothing chain H&M and Sky Sports.
Beckham made £50.5million last year despite hanging up his boots in 2013 . Forbes rate him second on the list of the highest-earning retired athletes . Has deals with drinks firm Diageo as well as Adidas, Sky Sports and Samsung .