David Beckham's Son Retires At 22 To Pursue A Career In Fashion

Romeo Beckham's last club was Brentford.

Where did Romeo Beckham play?

22-year-old Romeo Beckham has officially ended his football career. His last club was the English team Brentford, specifically its second team, which he joined in 2023. However, he did not play any official matches there. Before that, he was part of the Inter Miami system, founded by his famous father, David Beckham. In the mid-2010s, Romeo spent a short time in Arsenal's academy.

Romeo cannot be considered a significant football talent: Transfermarkt valued him at a maximum of 50,000 euros. The highlight of Romeo’s career was likely being named the best assist provider in the MLS Next Pro youth tournament in 2022, where he registered 10 assists.

At 12, Romeo was released from Arsenal's academy and spent five years without formal training until Inter Miami was established. With such a gap, building a successful career proved challenging. Ultimately, David Beckham's son focused on the other passion that had accompanied him throughout his life — the fashion industry.

How did David Beckham react?

Romeo’s retirement was announced almost on his birthday — he turned 22 on September 1. David congratulated his son with a heartfelt social media post but has not yet commented on Romeo's departure from football.

"Happy 22nd birthday, my beautiful boy," wrote Becks. "We are so proud of the man you’ve become: kind, passionate, and hardworking... I wish you the most amazing day because you deserve it... Love you so much, mate."

What does the future hold for Romeo?

Beckham Jr. has decided to focus on the fashion industry, especially since he already has considerable experience. He has been involved in this world from a young age, as his mother, Victoria, is directly connected to the modeling business. He participated in a Burberry ad campaign when he was just 10. In 2021, Romeo signed a contract with Puma worth £1.2 million and worked with the luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent. Romeo has now signed with the Paris Safe Management modeling agency.

"Romeo has decided to hang up his boots and dedicate his time to a career in the fashion industry," a source told The Sun. "He really enjoyed working at Brentford but needs to focus on fashion, which is his passion. Romeo recently signed with a leading modeling agency in Paris and plans to work with some major brands."

At the same time, Romeo will continue his work at Brentford: he will coach the Brentford Penguins, a team for children aged five and older with Down syndrome. Last year, its creator, Allan Cochram, received the Unsung Hero award at The Sun's Who Cares Wins show. The club is thrilled with Beckham Jr.'s decision and praises the dedication of the England football legend's son.

"If he had come in and said, 'I’m Beckham,' it would have been a disaster for us," Brentford’s sporting director Phil Giles said in the High Performance podcast. "But he is not like that at all. He resembles his father's humility and responsibility; Romeo wants to put in extra work at training."

Published by Patrick Jane
04.09.2024