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David Beckham has opened up about coming to grips with understanding the sacrifices his parents made for him growing up.
The former footballer, 47, began his journey to sporting stardom by playing in a grassroots team in East London, coached by his dad.
He says it’s only now he has become a parent himself that he realises how much his mum and dad, Ted and Sandra, gave up for him.
Realisation: David Beckham has opened up about coming to grips with understanding the sacrifices his parents made for him growing up
Speaking on his Disney+ documentary Save Our Squad, David said: ‘My dad was my inspiration, I wanted to win for him.
‘I wanted to play well for him and my mum as well, of course. My mum was the one that was driving me to training, to games, when my dad was working.’
‘I, as a parent now, realise how much my parents gave up for me’.
Beginnings: The former footballer, 47, began his journey to sporting stardom by playing in a grassroots team in East London, coached by his dad (pictured age 18 in 1993)
He has four children with wife Victoria, sons Brooklyn, 23, Romeo, 20, and Cruz, 17, and 11-year-old daughter Harper.
The documentary sees David return to east London pitches where he played as a child and mentor the Westward Boys as they struggle to survive in the Echo League, where David started his own footballing career.
He revealed his delight at seeing they had they same supportive family backgrounds that he did.
He said: ‘Every time I sat down with every one of these boys, when I asked: “What do you love most?” most of them – apart from one who said “pizza” – said their mums and dads.
Sacrifices: He says it’s only now he has become a parent himself that he realises how much his mum and dad, Ted and Sandra, (pictured) gave up for him
‘And even the little boy who said “pizza” said his mum and dad after. It’s about their families and that is what is heart-warming about this series. The boys are playing football, but they’re playing football for their families.”
David added: ‘These parents do exactly the same things. They all work, they’ve all got busy lives but they all turn up for their sons and all bring their siblings.
‘It’s a family affair, it’s a community and that’s what grassroots football has always been about. These parents are special and you’re going to see that.’
Touching: The documentary sees David return to east London pitches where he played as a child and mentor the Westward Boys as they struggle to survive in the Echo League, where David started his own footballing career
It comes after David told the team that his peers never wanted him on their team when he was younger because he was the ‘skinniest’ player as he gave them inspiring advice.
In a clip shared exclusively with MailOnline from the first episode David candidly told the teenagers he was always ‘picked last’ for sporting groups when he was younger as he reassured a disheartened boy who was chosen last for their teams.
In the new clip, David is seen helping the grassroots football team in a training session when the coach asks them to split into three groups.
The team captains are seen gradually picking their players, with a boy called Orlando looking disheartened as he was picked last by his teammates.
David asks the coach why Orlando was chosen last, to which the coach replies that it is because he is ‘quiet’.
Speaking about being picked last, Orlando says: ‘Being picked last was like uh a bit, but after I was like lift your head up Orlando, don’t be like “uh I’m picked last”.’
Orlando’s father Kwame speaks to camera about his worries about how his son would be ‘welcomed’ by the team, as the teen only joined them at the start of the season.
He says: ‘I think as a parent there’s always a worry when they join a new team, like will he be welcomed? Will he settle in?’
Support: It comes after David told the team of young footballers that his peers never wanted him on their team when he was younger because he was the ‘skinniest’ player as he gave them inspiring advice
Orlando then says that he doesn’t ‘talk much’ while all of his teammates already know each other, before David tells the coach he is one of the players with the ‘most ability’.
‘I want to win, win and win,’ Orlando says.
After the training session, David then gathers the group together and tells them he was always ‘picked last’ in sports groups because he was the ‘smallest’ and the ‘skinniest’.
In an impassioned speech, David kindly reassures Orlando and says although nobody ever ‘wanted him’ on their team, he ‘worked hard’ to prove himself.
‘There’s always going to be a first pick and a last pick, that’s just what it is. When I was your age, I was always picked last, always,’ David says.
‘Do you know why? Because I was the smallest, I was the skinniest and no one really wanted me on their team, that’s how it was. But you know what, I worked hard.
‘If you want to be the best in any job, in any field you go into, you have to be hungry. Are you going to show me and the coaches how hungry you are?’
His speech was met by cheers from the young footballers, who then asked David to follow them on Instagram as they appeared inspired by his comments.
Coaching: The former footballer was seen coaching the Westward Boys in a clip shared exclusively with MailOnline from the first episode of his Disney+ documentary Save Our Squad
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