Premier League legend David Beckham has tipped Newcastle to “surprise” people in this season’s Champions League, while Ben Foster believes Nick Woltemade is “made for” the Magpies.
The Magpies are about to embark on their second Champions League campaign of the PIF era. They got there in 2023/24, but drew a hard group of AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.
While they beat PSG in one game, they were unable to make it through the group. Now in a different format, Newcastle again have a big side to contend with, as they get things kicked off against Barcelona.
Premier League legend Beckham thinks the Magpies could spring a shock in the Champions League.
“The surprise would have to be, you know what, I think people are already writing Newcastle off,” he said on CBS.
“I think Newcastle are a good team, I think they have got some good players and they are very together as a team, as fans and as a club and I think they could surprise a few people.”
Beckham is not on his own in admiration of Newcastle, who former goalkeeper Foster feels have got their recruitment spot on in the signing of Nick Woltemade.
“[He reminds me of] Thomas Muller, German, naughty little mullet at the back, he’s made for the Premier League, made for Newcastle,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“He’s going to be a threat. 6ft 6in. Fantastic header, by the way. It’s not easy. He’s under pressure. He’s got to arch back a little bit, as well. Dispatches it.
“For a striker, to score on your debut so soon into the game, it’s the dream start. He’s off and running already. Brilliant.”
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Indeed, Woltemade now has one goal in one game as a Newcastle player, but whether his immediate form can translate to Europe remains to be seen.
Not only has the 23-year-old not played in the Champions League, he has never played in European competition to this point in his career.
He has, however, played knockout football for Germany, facing Portugal and then France in the UEFA Nations League, so he knows the feeling of playing in pressure games. He scored in neither of those, though.
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