MLS: Beckham advises Neville on dealing with son Romeo

David Beckham saw his son Romeo make his professional debut with Fort Lauderdale CF, and the Manchester United legend wants Inter Miami coach Phil Neville to be « harder on him than anyone else ».

At 19, Beckham Jr seeks to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his father, former captain of the England team. He won’t get special treatment in this quest, having previously spent time in Arsenal’s academy ranks, but he shows potential which suggests he could make a career in football.

After watching Romeo play 79 minutes in the 2-2 draw with Tormenta FC of South Georgia for sister club Inter Miami, first-team coach Neville – a former Beckham teammate at United – told reporters: “The first thing David said to me was, ‘You must be harder on him than on the others.

« He has to work harder than anyone else to get into this team because there will be questions, expectations on his shoulders. »

Regarding Romeo Beckham’s performance for his first outing for the national team, Neville added: “I think he did really well. I think his performance is measured by the fact that he was only supposed to play 45 minutes and he played almost 80 minutes because he’s a boy who has hunger.

“He’s got a lot of pressure and expectations on his shoulders, but he’s got his feet firmly on the ground. He knows he has a lot to develop, and he has all the attributes he needs, character, determination, a good person, to have a very good chance of succeeding in professional football. « 

Romeo Beckham is not the only offspring of a former England international to study at MLS club Inter Miami. Neville’s own son Harvey is also on the roster, with 15 appearances this season, but he too will need to prove himself to reach the top.

« He knows that when he is at this football club he is no different from other players, and the same is true for Romeo »added Neville, who oversaw Inter Miami’s turnaround in the 2021 campaign.