Beckham in Birmingham: Why football’s most famous face joined Tom Brady at Birmingham-Wrexham
He is Lionel Messi’s boss. He is also one of the most recognizable sports figures on the planet.
So it was no surprise that when David Beckham walked across the car park at St Andrew’s shortly before kick-off of the Birmingham City v Wrexham match, the heads of the supporters entering the stadium turned so quickly that some looked like they were suffering from whiplash.
Monday nights in England’s self-styled Second City shouldn’t involve a fleeting visit from the former England captain. Nor, it must be said, is it a regular fixture in the third tier of English football where you might expect to find someone of Beckham’s global profile.
But that is the reality in an age when celebrities have taken ownership of what Pele once called “the beautiful game.”
When Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over National League club Wrexham in February 2021, it started a trend that saw Hollywood comedy giant Will Ferrell join Leeds United and former NFL star JJ Watt become part-owner of Burnley.
And then there’s Tom Brady at Birmingham, who is arguably the greatest NFL player ever, who took a minority stake in the former Premier League club just over a year ago.
Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney (left) and Birmingham co-owner Tom Brady chat before Monday’s match (Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
He is believed to be a step or two removed from the day-to-day running of the business, as you might expect from someone with an extensive business portfolio in the US, let alone a new job at Fox Sports as an analyst commentating on the NFL.
But Brady’s influence is still palpable, particularly in the areas of player nutrition and recovery. Alex Guerrero, a longtime ally of the seven-time Super Bowl champion, has a key role as an adviser to Birmingham.
His appeal remains pretty impressive, too, judging by Beckham’s surprise visit to St Andrew’s. Along with his wife Victoria, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has struck up a close friendship with Brady.
They have been photographed together numerous times, including a family dinner at a Miami pizza parlor with their children. Beckham has also shared laughs on social media in the past with the legendary quarterback, who has since retired to Florida.
Brady and David Beckham in the stands at St Andrew’s (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
In many ways, Brady and Beckham’s friendship is a natural alliance. Both have remained iconic figures after years at the top of their respective sports and winning every club honour there is to win.
The duo have also moved into sports ownership since hanging up their boots, with Beckham joining Jose Mas and Jorge Mas at the helm of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami. Messi, regarded by many as one of the greatest footballers of all time, is on the club’s roster and is leading the push to give the sport a firm foothold in the US.
Just last month, the injured Argentine World Cup winner sat in the stands in Fort Lauderdale with Brady and Beckham as Miami took on Cincinnati.
The trio had the biggest smiles on their faces as they chatted before kick-off. Beckham was clearly enjoying himself, as evidenced by the photo he later posted on Instagram with the caption: “The Greatest — doesn’t get any better”.
A 2-0 win for Miami would undoubtedly have lifted the mood on an afternoon when Brady was presented with his own Inter Miami shirt by his good friend at half-time.
Monday saw Brady repay the favour with an invitation to join him in the boardroom in Birmingham, having previously spent time in a boardroom with Gary Neville, Beckham’s former United teammate and best man when he married Victoria. The trio were joined by Beckham’s son Romeo.
Just like in the home win over Miami in August, there was plenty to celebrate for the duo, with two goals from Jay Stansfield and a fine strike from Tomoki Iwata giving them a deserved 3-1 victory in the battle of celebrity owners.
Brady was a lively figure throughout the match, as you might expect from someone attending only his third home game, having hosted Leeds United and Rotherham United last season.
All three goals saw the 47-year-old striker on his feet, as did the two groups of players who faced off shortly before the game after tempers flared following a clash between Krystian Bielik and Paul Mullin.
Mullin from Wrexham takes on Birmingham’s Bielik (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
This was actually the second time Beckham had seen Wrexham live, having attended the 2022 FA Trophy final against Bromley at Wembley as a guest of Reynolds, the Welsh club’s co-owner alongside McElhenney.
He sat in a box at the National Stadium alongside Deadpool star, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator McElhenney and actor Ferrell, but like Monday night in Birmingham, there would be no Hollywood ending for Wrexham, who lost the final.
As for Brady, he may well consider his friend Beckham a lucky charm after watching Birmingham set a clear milestone in the League One promotion race. Expect another invitation from St Andrew’s to Beckham Towers to come soon.
GALLING DEEPER
The briefing: Birmingham 3 Wrexham 1 – Brady hosts Beckham in battle between famous American backers
(Top photo: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
