Los Angeles, March 5 (IANS) Singer Justin Bieber recently tried to scare retired football superstar David Beckham but the prank failed miserably.

Beckham was chatting with host Ellen DeGeneres on her show about buying a football club. The 44-year-old was made the target of a prank, but it backfired, reports mirror.co.uk.

The former footballer was talking about how his sons Brooklyn, 21, Romeo, 17, and Cruz, 15, were such huge fans of Justin that they wanted David and Victoria to name their next child after him. When Victoria was pregnant with Harper, now 8, the boys asked if they'd choose the name Justin for a boy or Justine for a girl.

Just as Ellen was asking why they hadn't gone with the name, Justin popped out of a box positioned between the two chairs and screamed in David's face. David remained cool and jumped up to give the singer a hug.

Justin told him: "Sorry, they made me do it. I've gotta go," before running off the stage.

--IANS nn/vnc