6 months ago
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Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham hopes a documentary about the club's Treble-winning campaign in 1998-99 can inspire the Old Trafford side out of their current struggles.
Beckham was part of a United side that won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup 25 years ago under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The present team are eighth in the Premier League and have not won the top-flight title since 2013.
United last won the Champions League in 2008 and the FA Cup in 2016, although they did win the Europa League in 2017 and League Cup in 2023.
“In all honesty, I think that anyone that watches this documentary and has a connection to United, that they’ll be inspired by it," Beckham told BBC Radio 5 Live at the premiere of Amazon Prime's '99'.
"It’s been a difficult time for the team over the last few years now but it was always going to be.
"When we were as successful as we were for the amount of years there was always gong to be this time.
"Now, we feel it’s probably gone on for a little bit too long but it will mean something to these homegrown lads without a doubt because the homegrown lads actually talk about that moment in time so we hope it inspires them.”
Former England captain Beckham made 394 appearances for Manchester United, with six Premier League title wins among his honours during his time at the club from 1992 to 2003.
Gary Neville played with Beckham at United and the former England right-back believes history "can be your friend but also your enemy" at their former club.
He hopes current manager Erik ten Hag's side can claim an unlikely victory against rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, 25 May to kickstart another era of success.
"At the moment it’s really difficult," said Neville. "It mustn’t be easy for them having this history rammed down their throats and, to be fair, quite a few of us are on television and we’re talking about the team regularly so I can understand why that would be uncomfortable.
"I would hope that say, for instance, in three weeks when Manchester United play the FA Cup final against City, they see that as an opportunity to shock this country and probably the world by beating City in a final.
"It was an FA Cup that Sir Alex Ferguson won in 1990 that started off this successful period that we were part of. Why can’t this FA Cup against Manchester City?"
Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren was also at the premiere, having been Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant in 1999.
He told BBC Sport: "Arsenal are back after being down and Man United will do the same.
"We have had many storms. I see tremendous plusses from Ineos coming in and what they are trying to do. It is identifying the standards and getting back to them.
"At certain times since I have come back over the last two years, we have had those standards. We have also had standards that have not been Manchester United.
"Speaking to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, speaking to Sir Dave Brailsford, they are getting the best people in. They want this to succeed. They have done that in their other sports and businesses. I am positive they will do it again with Manchester United."
