11 February 2024 , 13:53
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David Beckham could not hide how 'wounded' he was by hearing boos from fans at an Inter Miami pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
Beckham, 48, received a hostile reception from the stands after stepping out onto the pitch after a 4-1 win for the MLS club he co-owns.
The team president was out there to thank the 38,000-sell-out crowd who paid £125 per ticket to attend the game.
But fans did not see their heroes play as Lionel Messi remained an unused substitute, and Luis Suarez did not play a part in the 4-1 win either. Of their high-profile recent signings, only former Barcelona players Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets played a part, coming on as substitutes for the final half-an-hour.
Messi did not play as a precaution due to a hamstring strain, and Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino remained unmoved despite fans chanting "We want Messi" during the second half. The boos began during the closing stages and continued as Beckham stepped out to face the music.
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Leading communication and body language expert Judi James has analysed the footage for The Mirror and notes it is not necessarily a new experience for the former England captain.
"Beckham has been booed before, most famously after the red card in 1998," she recalled, referring to what he has since described as "the most difficult time in my career" after being sent off against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup.
Beckham addressed fans in Hong Kong following the friendlyJames also cited the times he was booed by LA Galaxy fans during his time at the club, most notably in the summer of 2009 upon returning to the club after spending six months on loan at AC Milan. But there are differences to draw between then and now.
"Back then, his facial expressions tended to be a little more mobile, flexible and telling," she explains, "while here he seems to find it easier to perform a look of acted nonchalance and confidence despite at least one body language cue suggesting he’s not enjoying the experience one bit this time around.
"His bravado gesture is the hand slung into his pocket, which seems to signal a certain amount of resilience and laid-back calm in the face of the chorus of disapproval.
"He also applies a knowing smile as though wanting to appear to be a good sport and to not look wounded. James continues: "He keeps thanking the crowd as though hearing nothing but cheers, but the key ‘tell’ or non-verbal cue of building tension is the tightening grip he seems to have on the mic he is holding.
"His fingers clasp it in a stranglehold, and at one point, his knuckles appear to have turned white, suggesting the beaming smile is just an incongruent display of stoicism.
"Hopefully, the boos weren’t triggering any memories of genuinely nightmare memories of his historic sending off in 1998."