Soccer Football - '99' World Premiere - Printworks, Manchester, Britain - May 9, 2024 Former Manchester United player David Beckham poses on the red carpet before '99' World Premiere REUTERS/Phil Noble
(Reuters) - Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham hopes a documentary about their 1998–99 treble-winning season can offer inspiration to the current side.
Beckham won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup with United 25 years ago, becoming the first English side to do so. However, United are now facing the prospect of having no European football next season.
The three times European champions are eighth in the Premier League standings, having won one of their last seven games. They have conceded 81 goals in all competitions, their worst showing since the 1976-77 season.
They play league leaders Arsenal on Sunday and have reached the FA Cup final, where they face rivals Manchester City on May 25.
"It’s been a difficult time for the team over the last few years now but it was always going to be," Beckham told BBC Radio 5 at the premiere of Amazon Prime Documentary '99' on Thursday.
"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.
"It will mean something to these homegrown lads without a doubt because the lads actually talk about that moment in time so we hope it inspires them."
Many former United players criticised manager Erik ten Hag after Monday's 4-0 Premier League loss at Crystal Palace, saying he is unlikely to be given another year at the helm.
Asked about Ten Hag having to motivate his players, Beckham told TalkSport the Dutch coach did not have to do much. "I think that’s the whole point of being a United player and playing in these big games – you should be motivated," he said.
"You're doing the job you love and you’re at the club you love, when you’re playing in any game, whether it’s a regular season game or whether it’s an FA Cup final against your rivals, that should be enough motivation."
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
