Inter Miami president David Beckham paid a loving tribute to wife Victoria’s comical reaction during a nail-biter of a CONCACAF Champions Cup match.
With Inter Miami having lost the first leg 1-0 against Los Angeles FC, tensions were high for the home win on Wednesday as they stayed in the running.
Lionel Messi took charge with two critical goals, converting his second in the 84th minute. And those were enough to drive Inter Miami into the semi-finals of the tournament as their trophy hunt continued.
As someone who has transitioned from the pitch to the boardroom, Beckham still shows the same dedication to the game as he did playing for the likes of Manchester United or Real Madrid.
This was evident in one particular snapshot showing the sports icon in full emotive display, sharply contrasting with Victoria’s cool demeanour next to him.
Stylish ‘Posh’ stood by clad in a chic cardigan and skirt ensemble, her expression calm as she witnessed her husband’s team’s performance first-hand. While David celebrated with a tattoo-laden fist pump, his wife offered simply a serene smile.
David shared his amusement at the different reactions on Instagram (via The Mirror), teasingly captioning his post with several emojis: “And they say my wife’s not into football – how dare they? Emotions were running high in the stadium last night for most of us. I love you @victoriabeckham. I know you love it really. Always by my side.”
Beckham’s jubilant reaction to overturning the deficit against LAFC and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions Cup is understandable. The Herons had been enjoying an undefeated season before their first-leg loss, but they made up for that setback with a strong performance at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
They are now set to face Major League Soccer rivals the Vancouver Whitecaps in another two-legged matchup. Messi and his team clinched the Leagues Cup in 2023, topped the MLS’ Eastern Conference last year, and then secured the Supporters’ Shield.
Even at the age of 37, World Cup-winner Messi continues to prove his value as a key player for Inter Miami, who are managed by former team-mate Javier Mascherano. He calmly slotted Wednesday’s winning goal from the spot late on, preventing their elimination from the competition on away goals.
The Champions Cup still credits away goals as a tiebreaker, meaning LAFC’s consolation on the east coast would have taken them through. However, Messi saved the day alongside former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba.
The Catalan icons may never have joined the Inter Miami revolution were it not for Beckham’s ownership. And that magnetism has had a major hand in firing the Herons into the soccer stratosphere.
Over a decade has passed since Beckham retired and swiftly submitted his bid to open an MLS franchise in Miami. The move has been wildly successful, with arguably the greatest player of all time regularly impressing – though Messi’s contract is set to expire in December.
Beckham will be doing all in his power to ensure that doesn’t mark the end of Messi’s MLS career. The Argentinian has been touted for retirement in the near future, though with his current form and a potential World Cup title defence next year, he may be convinced to prolong his career.
The team currently sit fourth in the MLS standings and rea one of just two teams yet to lose in the league this season. That’s enough to get a rise out of Beckham, while wife Victoria seems happy to be part of the journey – even if her face doesn’t show as much.
