David Beckham has some cause for concern after Inter Miami’s latest star-studded stumble, but his first reaction after the team’s stunning defeat to Minnesota United was to hit back at a pair of snarky social media posts.
Beckham probably didn’t enjoy Miami’s 4-1 collapse in Minnesota on Saturday very much, with the defeat being the team’s heaviest in MLS play since Lionel Messi’s arrival.
But he liked the rather graceless celebrations of the United Instagram account even less, responding to a pair of posts with the equivalent of a “stay classy” wagging finger.
When the account included a caption of “Pink Phony Club” alongside a photo of a game scene — referencing Miami’s jersey colors — Beckham snapped back with, “Show a little respect @mnufc be elegant in triumph.”
Pink Phony Club pic.twitter.com/joKQxH2ThN
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) May 10, 2025
And a post depicting a supporter’s banner in the stadium that took an unmistakable jab at Inter Miami’s much-hyped project of bringing in Messi and esteemed friends such as Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba had the former England captain and club co-owner reaching for his phone to tap out another reply.
The banner of “History over hype, culture over cash” prompted Beckham to write, “Respect over everything @mnufc.”
49 years and counting pic.twitter.com/FqyKTzbkuS
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) May 10, 2025
Next up for Miami is a cross-country trip to San Jose to take on the Earthquakes, the start of another frenetic spell in what has already been a tightly packed season. Starting Wednesday, Miami will be in action five times in 18 days, having already played more matches than any other MLS team except Vancouver on account of its run to the semifinal of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Given the aging nature of the squad — Messi is 37, Suarez is 38 and Busquets and Alba are 36 — it is a factor that cannot be overlooked, especially with the rigors of the Club World Cup on the near horizon, with the tournament beginning in just over a month.
The month just passed hasn’t given much reason for cheer for Beckham, head coach Javier Mascherano, Messi or his pals. The two-legged Champions Cup rout at the hands of the Whitecaps was especially embarrassing given the level of priority the organization has placed upon trying to win a continental championship.
This is not the time to issue a prediction of demise, not particularly close to it. However, a home reverse to FC Dallas was puzzling even with a rotated squad, Messi’s frustration in walking off the field in a 4-1 win over the New York Red Bulls indicated not all is well, and Saturday’s setback looked very much like a team low in confidence.
That said, we’re dealing with MLS here. Such a rough patch at Barcelona, where Miami’s elite quartet — and Mascherano — plied their trade, would have likely been catastrophic.
In a league in which 18 of 30 teams reach the postseason and mechanisms promoting parity are part of doing business, it still matters, but the impact is less urgent and immediate. With a pair of victories over San Jose and Orlando this week, it would not be surprising to see the team back near the top of the Eastern Conference, other results pending.
Beckham has had a lot on his plate recently. He just turned 50, a milestone number that, it has to be said, he’s wearing pretty well. He has just started a watchalong Champions League show on Paramount+ and, just as it was during his playing days, the minutiae of his family’s life are still unquenchable fodder for the salivating tabloid gossip pages.
Starting with a matchup against his former boss Bruce Arena, now in charge of San Jose, Miami is looking for a turnaround. Or, at the very least, some positive signs that ease Messi’s annoyance, end the slew of disappointing results and give Beckham’s patience some respite from social media potshots by jubilant rivals.
(Top photo: Megan Briggs / Getty Images)