By Louis Sealey
Copyright metro
Manchester United and England legend David Beckham (Picture: Getty)
England and Manchester United legend David Beckham has named his two picks to win the Champions League this season.
The 2025-26 Champions League gets underway on Tuesday night with last year’s semi-finalists Arsenal among the 12 teams in action.
PSG begin the defence of their trophy on Wednesday, the same day Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea kick-start their European campaigns.
Usually reserved for Europa League and Europa Conference League matches, Thursday will also host Champions League games this week including opening fixtures for Barcelona and Manchester City.
Liverpool and Arsenal have been tipped for deep runs in Europe this season following their recent success but Beckham looked past both when revealing his Champions League prediction.
Instead Beckham has named Real Madrid as his pick to win the Champions League this season, with PSG ‘going close again’ but ultimately falling short of back-to-back European trophies.
‘I think PSG will go close again this year, but I’m going to go with Real Madrid,’ Beckham said on CBS Sports.
The 2025-26 Champions League starts this week (Picture: Getty)
Asked for his Champions League top goalscorer, Beckham added: ‘I love Lamine [Yamal]. I think the hype about him is real and I think he’s a hell of a talent.
‘But I’m going to go with Kylian as top goalscorer. I think Kylian, last season, he scored the goals that he scored.
‘Of course, as a Real Madrid player, if you don’t win much, then it’s a bad season. Kylian had a great season.
PSG are the reigning champions (Picture: Getty)
‘I really believe that this season is going to be his season in La Liga and the Champions League.’
Beckham also surprised Premier League side Newcastle United to ‘surprise a few people’ in Europe this season.
Eddie Howe’s side qualified for the Champions League by finishing fifth last season. The Magpies also won the Carabao Cup, beating Liverpool in the final.
‘My surprise would have to be Newcastle because people are already writing them off,’ Beckham said.
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‘I think Newcastle are a good team, and I think they’ve got some good players. They’re very together as a team, and as fans, and as a club. I think that they could surprise a few people.’
Arsenal knocked out Real Madrid in the Champions League last season before having their European dreams ended in the semi-finals by eventual winners PSG.
Theo Walcott is backing his former club to put things right this year, however, and believes the signing of Viktor Gyokeres can take Arsenal to the next level.
‘I am not just saying this because I am Arsenal, but I do feel that if they had someone like Viktor Gyokeres in the PSG semi-final they lost last season, then they would have won it,’ he told BBC Sport.
‘When you create danger and put a ball into certain areas, Gyokeres is going to be there. He is that kind of old-school centre-forward that is going to make a difference for them in a lot of games this season.
‘Arsenal are not going to draw as many games in the Premier League, and he is so equipped for the Champions League knockout ties as well.
‘Add that to the personnel that Arsenal already have, and how strong they are defensively, and that’s why I am backing them to win it.’
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