As previously announced, the footballer became the first male coverstar of the magazine to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games.
© Elle / Doug Inglish
"David Beckham is a national hero," said Elle editor in chief Lorraine Candy.
"He is an icon and Elle is known for featuring icons on its cover. This is a first for us on the newsstand and I believe he is loved by men and women alike.
"Anyway, who doesn't want to see a picture of one of the world's most handsome men on the front cover of a magazine? It will be a collector's issue."
The full feature appears in the July issue of Elle UK, on sale Wednesday, May 30 in two different covers.
Behind-the-scenes images of the shoot had been teased earlier this month.
