Kyle Beckerman: A Fighter in Soccer, But a Lover in Real Life

ByRHEANA MURRAY ABCNews logo
Thursday, June 26, 2014

So much for that tough guy image, right?

Team USA's Kyle Beckerman has a takes-no-prisoners approach when he's competing for the World Cup, but in real life, he's romantic enough to pose for a series of mushy -- but touching -- engagement photos with wife Kate Pappas.

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The photos were taken last fall but resurfaced today as Team USA faced Germany at the World Cup, losing the match but still advancing to the next stage of the tournament. (Confused? We explain that here.)

Some of the sweet snapshots show Pappas on Beckerman's turf -- on the pitch at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Utah, where Beckerman plays for the Real Salt Lake soccer club.

The couple got engaged last October and married this January in Salt Lake City.

Beckerman's fans might be shocked by the tender photos and his starry-eyed gaze, since he's known for being one of the roughest players on Team USA, unafraid to get physical with opponents.

Don't let the dreds fool you -- Beckerman is not laid-back when it comes to soccer. Case in point: Beckerman was accused of taking a cheap shot at one of Portugal's players on Sunday by elbowing him after the pair got tangled up in a play.

I mean, is this the face of a man who poses for loving, romantic photos in the wilderness? Well, apparently it is!

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