David Beckham says children are allowed to ‘make mistakes’, after son Brooklyn’s bombshell post
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David Beckham's remarks came after Brooklyn said he did not want to reconcile with his parents after a family rift.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Former English football star David Beckham has offered a cryptic comment about his eldest son Brooklyn’s Jan 19 Instagram outburst against him and his wife Victoria Beckham.
At his first public appearance at the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan 20, he had refused to answer questions from British television news channel Sky News about the 26-year-old’s explosive social media takedown
But Beckham, 50, made a live appearance on CNBC’s financial programme Squawk Box that same day and was asked what he would say to people growing up and dealing with social media from a mental health perspective.
“I have always spoken about social media and the power of social media. For the good and for the bad,” the president and co-owner of Major League Soccer club Inter Miami said. “The bad we’ve talked about with what kids can access these days, it can be dangerous.”
The goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) continued: “But what I have found personally, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons. I’ve been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF. And it has been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children.”
Besides Brooklyn, Beckham has three other children – Romeo, 23, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 14 – with English fashion designer and former Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham, 51.
“And I have tried to do the same, I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them,” David Beckham said. “They make mistakes, children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn. That’s what I try to teach my kids. You sometimes have to let them make those mistakes as well.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player’s remarks came after Brooklyn said he did not want to reconcile with his parents after a family rift he described in a lengthy Jan 19 post on Instagram.
Brooklyn said his parents have been controlling narratives in the press about their family and attempting to sabotage his marriage to American actress Nicola Peltz, 31
Brooklyn Beckham said his parents have been controlling narratives in the press about their family and attempting to sabotage his marriage to Nicola Peltz.
PHOTO: AFP
“My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn’t stopped,” the English media personality said.
“My mum cancelled making Nicola’s dress in the 11th hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress
Rumours of the family feud began soon after Brooklyn married Peltz, the daughter of American billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz and former model Claudia Heffner, in April 2022.
In October 2022, Nicola Peltz denied claims of a feud with Victoria in an interview with British newspaper The Times, saying then that “no family is perfect”.
Brooklyn and Peltz renewed their vows in August 2025, with his parents’ absence fuelling more speculation about the feud.
“My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we’ve tried to come together as one,” Brooklyn wrote on Instagram. “My mum has repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable.”
