Matt Le Tissier launches blistering attack on David Beckham after photo posted

21 November 2023 , 17:17

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Former Saints player Matt Le Tissier launched into a barbed tirade about David Beckham in relation to his meeting with Bill Gates (Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)

Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier launched a bizarre attack on David Beckham over the superstar posing for a photo with Microsoft founder Bill Gates - and even suggested the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy star wasn't a world-class footballer.

The ex-Sky Sports mainstay has garnered a reputation for controversial opinions in recent times and has referred to himself as a 'conspiracy realist' in the past. Now, the eight-time international has turned his ire on his former England teammate on the grounds of a snap of the Inter Miami owner at an event last year.

Beckham was in attendance at a conference put on by the Gates Foundation in 2022 and was joined by former Chelsea stars Didier Drogba and Michael Essien at the gala. Taking to Instagram, the Old Trafford hero hailed the event, saying: "A real honour to meet with the @gatesfoundation and some inspiring people behind life-saving innovations and projects that are changing young lives for the better."

However, the pictures of Beckham rubbing shoulders with the billionaire tech entrepreneur Gates seemingly left Le Tissier nothing short of enraged. In a revealing interview with fellow retired footballer David Cotterill, the ex-Saints favourite made some damning remarks about the sight of the pair together.

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Not exactly holding back in his judgement, Le Tissier told the former Wales international host exactly what he thought about Beckham's attendance at the event. He said: "My stomach turns when I saw that picture of David Beckham, [and] Bill Gates.

"I mean seriously, why? Why? You're a good footballer, David. You weren't world class, you were a very, very good footballer. At what you did, you were very good," he continued.

Making unsubstantiated claims about Gates, Le Tissier added: "Why are you getting involved? What are you getting involved with that bloke for? Do you have any idea what crimes he's committed... I think it's all part and parcel of that circle, of people of that level."

David Beckham posted the image of himself with Bill Gates - much to Matt Le Tissier's displeasure

This is not the first time that Le Tissier has had some controversial things to say about Microsoft pioneer Gates, either. Speaking to the 'AJ Roberts show' last year he also claimed to have started his own 'investigation' of Gates and his foundation during the first Covid-19 lockdown.

The former footballer said: "We got locked down, you had a lot of time in your house with nothing to do. So I just thought I’d have a look around and investigate what was going on and the people involved in the pandemic.

"Bill Gates had been around for a long time, I’d heard stuff and not taken much notice. I heard the rumours about Bill Gates, so thought I’d go on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation website and have a look around.

"I was amazed to find that all these people that were involved in the pandemic – the WHO and all that stuff – were beneficiaries of money from this foundation," the former Southampton star asserted. "In my mind I’ve always been a bit sceptical of people in power and corruption, and I thought it was too much of a coincidence."

Tom Beattie