- Rio Ferdinand asked David Beckham to name his best 5-a-side football team
- Beckham picked five big names, but only one Man United icon made the cut
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Manchester United icon David Beckham has named the best all-star 5-a-side team he played with during his brilliant career.
The former England captain represented some of the biggest clubs in world football, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSG.
Beckham appeared in the Rio Ferdinand presents podcastand his former teammate asked him to form his dream team.
Starting with defence, Beckham opted for a backline of Roberto Carlos and Paolo Maldini before choosing Zinedine Zidane in midfield as he waxed lyrical about the Frenchman after playing alongside him at Madrid.
“He’s not only one of the best players I’ve ever played with, one of the toughest coaches and also just great,” Beckham said of Zidane.
David Beckham chose his dream 5-a-side football team during an interview with Rio Ferdinand
Roberto Carlos (left) and Paolo Maldini (right) received the nod in defense of Beckham
It’s just cool, you know, without trying. If you throw him a ball anywhere on the field, at any height, at any level, at any speed, he’ll put it down like it’s one of those things he does.
“People literally used to turn up at the Bernabéu to see him just controllable. Because it was like watching a dancer, his way of playing is very elegant. Everything about him is elegant.
Another former Madrid star was chosen to lead the line when Beckham chose Brazilian Ronaldo, revealing he was blown away by the striker in training.
“I think when you watch Ronnie play in the past, I mean, he’s electrifying on every level,” Beckham continued.
“One of our first training sessions was in Korea, I think, or in China, I’m not sure where we were at the time. And they had just passed him the ball and all he had to do was put it in the goal. And like he’s made fun of him, I’m trying to defend him.
Beckham chose Zinedine Zidane in midfield and revealed how hard the Frenchman trained
Another Real Madrid icon, Brazilian Ronaldo, was chosen to lead the line for Beckham
“So I slid and as I was sliding, I thought he was just going to put the first goal in the goal, and as I was sliding, he just put his foot on the ball, and when I slid, as he passed, he just He looks at me like that with the biggest smile on his face and just touches it and I was like oh god!’
It looked like Beckham was about to name a team without a single United player, despite spending more than a decade at the club after coming up through the academy as a member of the Class of ’92.
But in the end Beckham managed to attract a United legend to his team as he opted for his former captain Roy Keane, praising the standards the Irishman set at Old Trafford.
“You need a leader and you need someone who really tackles, fights and is the player he is, so I’ll have to say Keaney,” Beckham said.
Roy Keane (right) was the only Man United legend chosen by Beckham (left)
He didn’t take any days off, and I don’t mean in the physical sense of having a day off. I mean, every day I stepped on that training field, I wanted to win. He inspired us every day because he came in with that mindset and we all knew that’s what we have to deal with.
“That’s the level we have to reach and that’s why Keaney was who he was, because he was a winner, he was hungry and he always wanted to win.”
Listen to the full Rio Meets Becks interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. RioFerdinandPresents.com
