David Beckham (51) has found moving words after the bitter World Cup exit of the English national team. The former captain of the "Three Lions" watched the semifinal against Argentina from the stands - and could barely hide his disappointment after the final whistle.
Together with his wife Victoria Beckham (52), Beckham sat in the stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, as the dream of reaching the World Cup final was shattered. After the game, the former soccer star was visibly dejected, held his hands over his face and had to process the bitter defeat first.
Victoria comforted her husband, while their children Romeo (23), Harper (15) and Cruz (21) were also there. Cruz Beckham was seen after the final whistle hugging his father.
"Heartbreak for all of us"
After the exit against Argentina, Beckham finally spoke out himself. On Instagram he wrote: "Heartbreak for all of us, but memories that inspire and will last forever."
He also thanked the team, the fans and the entire country: "Thank you to our team, our fans and our country for what you gave us at this World Cup."
England initially had hope of reaching the final in the semifinal. After a goal by Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, the "Three Lions" took the lead. But Argentina fought back, equalized in the 85th minute and scored the decisive goal just a few minutes later. The English national team thus missed the chance to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.
20 years since his own World Cup career
For David Beckham, the defeat must have been particularly emotional. The 51-year-old knows the pressure of a World Cup from his own experience: He played for England at three World Cup tournaments (1998, 2002 and 2006) and led the team onto the field as captain at the last two final tournaments.
The 2026 World Cup also marks 20 years since his last appearance on the big World Cup stage. Since the beginning of the tournament, Beckham had closely followed his national team and regularly let fans share in his experiences.
After England's quarterfinal victory against Norway, for example, he was thrilled and shared a family photo from Miami. "What a moment in Miami. I am so proud of the team tonight who reached the World Cup semifinals, and celebrating this moment with my family was something very special", he wrote on Instagram at the time.
