“He took no day off”, “He’s just cool, you know, without trying” - Manchester United and Real Madrid icon David Beckham picks dream 5-a-side team
Manchester United and Real Madrid icon David Beckham recently picked his dream 5-a-side team consisting of some legends of the game. He made his pick from the two aforementioned clubs and AC Milan.
Beckham played for many clubs across his illustrious career, including Real Madrid, Manchester United and AC Milan. They are considered some of the greatest clubs in the world and naturally boasted of superstar players.
In an interview on Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Beckham picked his dream five-a-side from the players he's played with. He first picked Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos and AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini in defense, saying (via talkSport):
"I would have to say Roberto Carlos, because he can play in defence and attack. He used to play more attack than defence, to be fair. And then I would have to say Maldini."
Beckham then picked Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane, saying:
"Then I would say… Zizou. He's one of the, not just one of the greatest players that I've ever played with, one of the hardest trainers, and also just cool. He's just cool, you know, without trying. You play him a ball anywhere on the pitch, any height, any level, any speed, he'd bring it down like it was just one of those things that he does.
"People literally used to turn up at the Bernabeu to watch him just control a ball. Because it was like watching a ballerina, just the way he plays is so elegant. Everything about him, he's elegant. And that's when you know he's so special, Zizou, because he walks into a room and without even looking, without even seeing him come in, you know someone's walked in."
In the striker position, the former Manchester United man picked another Real Madrid and Brazil icon Ronaldo Nazario, saying:
"The next one would have to be one of the greatest and most natural goal scorers that I have ever, ever seen, Ronaldo (R9). I think when you watch Ronnie play back in the day, I mean, he's electrifying on every level..."
Finally, Beckham picked his Manchester United teammate Roy Keane to complete his five-a-side team. He said about the former midfielder:
"Oh my goodness, my last one. I'm gonna say Keaney. You need a leader and you need someone that's gonna actually tackle and fight and be the player that he is, so I'm gonna have to say Keaney. He took no day off, and I don't mean in the physical sense of having a day off.
"I mean, every single day that he stepped on that training pitch, he wanted to win. Whether it was at the, you know, the keep ball game, at the heading game, he inspired us every single day because he came in with that mentality and we all knew that that's what we have to cope with."
Beckham made 390 appearances for Manchester United, registering 85 goals and 121 assists. For Real Madrid, he contributed 20 goals and 51 assists in 159 games while he played just 33 games for AC Milan, recording two goals and nine assists.