Soccer

David Beckham says criticism of Harry Maguire has gone 'too far'

David Beckham defends ‘good lad’ Harry Maguire insisting criticism of the Man United defender has ‘got too much’, and advises the England international to ‘keep doing what he’s doing’

  • The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player said enough is enough 
  • David and Victoria Beckham joined by all four children at documentary premiere 

David Beckham has called out the abuse England defender Harry Maguire is receiving and declared things have gone ‘too far’.

The former Manchester United legend joined Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Jill Scott and Ian Wright on a podcast to offer some words of advice to the central defender who has been subjected to ridicule on social media and constant jeers inside stadiums.

He said that Maguire, 30, just needs to keep on ‘doing what he’s doing’ and ‘focus on football’ despite his limited playing time at the club and receiving a bomb threat in April last year. 

‘Harry [Maguire] has to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s got to focus on football, which he does,’ Beckham told the Stick to Football podcast.

‘He’s a good lad – he’s had a great career. Has the criticism got too much? I think it has.’

England legend David Beckham has said that the abuse Harry Maguire is receiving has gone ‘too far’

The Man United central defender has been subject to ridicule on social media and constant jeering at games

Despite his experience at club and country level, there has been an overwhelming criticism of Maguire since he made an £80million world-record transfer for a defender to the Red Devils in 2019.

Beckham recently offered support to Maguire last month after he scored an own goal against Scotland in a friendly match for England. 

The Inter Miami co-owner reportedly sent Harry a text message telling him ‘to keep his head up’ amid the fan backlash he was receiving. 

He also explained how he knew ‘what it’s like to be targeted’ after his infamous red card against Argentina in England’s 1998 World Cup last-16 clash.

England captain Harry Kane also offered his support to Maguire in recent weeks as he said the defender has been made a ‘scapegoat’ and come under ‘unnecessary scrutiny’.

He insisted his England team-mate was ‘one of our best defenders ever’, saying: ‘It’s part of football, but knowing him all he’ll want to do is try and improve.’

Kane added that the England squad are ‘fully behind him as a national team’.

Beckham and Gary Neville pictured laughing during an interview for The Overlap

The Beckham family out in full force last night at the documentary premiere in London

Last night, the Beckham family stepped out on the red carpet for their new documentary premiere about their personal and professional lives. 

In the series David reveals his rows with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, including the moment he had to be ‘held back’ by teammates during the infamous bust-up where the Scot kicked a boot at him.

The programme also features interviews with David’s parents about his childhood, the surreal moment he became a Manchester United player and what his mother really thought about the woman who would become wife and mother of this children.

It also touches upon his mental health struggles when he became public enemy number one after the 1998 World Cup.  

On the Stick to Football podcast, the 48-year-old also discussed a range of topics with Neville and his team, including his own playing career and how he secured Messi’s move to Inter Miami.


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