European soccer star David Beckham and his wife, Victoria, have taken legal action to stop widely publicized rumors their marriage is on the rocks.

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They failed in a court bid Saturday to prevent the News of the World from publishing an account by a former Beckham nanny the couple were headed for a break-up. They testified Abbie Gibson had broken an agreement never to talk about their private lives, but the judge decided the story was in the public interest and refused to grant a publication ban.

Gibson claims the couple had a series of screaming matches rows and the Real Madrid star Beckham threatened to leave his former Spice Girl wife. Gibson quit after the couple accused her of conspiring with one of David's alleged lovers, Danielle Heath.

However, friends of Beckham told the Daily Record there was no acrimony, and pointed out the couple just bought a $5.5 million mansion in Madrid last week.

"Like any normal couple, they do argue," a friend told the newspaper. "But things couldn't be better between them."