Brooklyn Beckham’s former QPR football coach Anthony McCool has spoken out about the Beckham family, sharing what he witnessed during his time coaching the teenager amid their current family feud
Luke Thrower Trends Writer and Jim Quinlan Sport Trends Writer
16:47, 24 Jan 2026
The Beckham family are front and centre of a public dispute(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham has been supported by his former youth football coach, who disclosed he observed some “bizarre carry on” and a “strange dynamic” during the explosive family rift. The high-profile dispute intensified this week as Brooklyn sided with his wife while criticising Sir David Beckham and Victoria Beckham in a dramatic development.
The 26-year-old released an incendiary statement condemning his parents, David and Victoria, declaring he “does not want to reconcile” with them. Brooklyn attacked his family by claiming they had leaked stories about him to the media, while a divide emerged around his wedding to wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
Among the most controversial revelations in the statement was Brooklyn’s accusation against his mother, Victoria, 51, alleging she “hijacked” his first dance with Nicola and was “dancing inappropriately on” him before their 500 wedding guests.
He remains the sole family member to publicly share his perspective on the messy dispute, with sources telling The Mirror he has ‘no regrets’ about going public.
As the family conflict has been thrust into the public eye, a former football coach of Brooklyn’s – from his adolescent years – has shed light on what he observed regarding their family relationships. Brooklyn had been training with Queens Park Rangers in 2013, aged just 14, whilst pursuing a career in professional football.
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham (Image: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
The official QPR Twitter (now X) account posted at the time: “Contrary to reports, Brooklyn Beckham has been training at #QPR but has not joined our academy.”
During this period, he trained under Anthony McCool, a former academy coach at the west London club, who has also worked in scouting roles.
Amid all the controversy surrounding Brooklyn and his family breakdown, former QPR coach Anthony McCool turned to LinkedIn to share his own observations of the Beckham family dynamics. He wrote: “Brooklyn Beckham getting piled on. But I felt sorry for the lad.
“I did see some bizarre carry on as his football coach at QPR and [I have] certainly seen the anxiety.
“He might have got this situation wrong, I’m not on either side because I don’t know them and his parents were always polite to me. But I did witness myself a strange dynamic which is impossible for us to judge and predict how we would navigate it, both as parents and as a young person.
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“My short window into that life left me some funny stories, also some sad ones and I realised how tough it must have been for the lad. Yet I had coached many lads of famous parents, mostly well-known footballers.
“But this spell was on another serious level. “Hijacking” – it would make a good chapter in my book. What it did do was open my eyes. Being super wealthy and famous isn’t an automatic ticket to happiness.
“It’s hard to ‘sympathise’ or empathise because most of us will never know. But being flanked by permanent security at 14, plus the many other things I seen made me realise I shouldn’t judge because I haven’t walked a mile in them shoes, or his parents to be fair.
“I am sure they will close ranks and resolve their differences. I hope so. (and David, thanks for paying me back that £6).”
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: David Beckham, Victoria Beckham and their son Brooklyn Beckham attend the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 at Tate Modern on September 03, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)(Image: )
The aftermath of the family dispute continues to unfold publicly, with uncertainty surrounding whether the two sides will eventually reconcile.
The situation is particularly painful given the serious accusations Brooklyn has levelled against his own relatives. Following his son’s remarks, David Beckham offered his perspective during an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
He commented: “I’ve been able to use my platform and my following for Unicef, and it’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children.
“I’ve tried to do the same. I’ve tried to do the same with my children to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So that’s what I try to teach my kids.
“But you know, you have got to sometimes let them make those mistakes, as well.”