David Beckham snubbed AC Milan legend and former teammate Paolo Maldini when naming the best captain he ever played under during his career. Beckham, who lined up with the iconic Italian defender 17 times during a loan stint at AC Milan, named the former left-back as the greatest defender he'd ever seen, but stopped short of admitting that he was the top skipper.
The ex-Real Madrid and LA Galaxy star knows a thing or two about being a high-profile leader, having assumed the role of England captain in 2000 and maintaining the armband until after the 2006 World Cup. And while stating that Maldini was a fantastic leader, the Inter Miami owner gave props to another key figure in his footballing career.
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During the second ever episode of Beckham & Friends Live on CBS Sports, the former Manchester United winger was speaking to TV presenter and comedian James Corden about his time at the San Siro, which prompted the former late night television host to ask if Maldini was the greatest captain that he had worked under. While admitting that the five-time European Cup winner was "unbelievable," he revealed that Roy Keane was still the best skipper he had played with.
"We had players like Pirlo in there. We had Nesta, Paolo Maldini. He was unbelievable. He was an unbelievable leader, an unbelievable captain. The best defender I've ever seen. Even at...I think he retired at 41. Even then, at 41, he was reading things that no player even at 18 would do.
"But, not the best captain I'd say I've played under, because I've played under Roy Keane. Roy Keane, for me, was the best and biggest captain that I played with."
Keane is a legendary figure at Manchester United, with his captaincy viewed as one of the best tenures in the club’s history. His spell with the armband coincided with some of the Red Devils' most successful periods, notably the 1998/1999 season where they completed a historic treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 15/05/2025.