David Beckham snubs Arsenal and Liverpool, names his favorites to win the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League

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David Beckham has backed Real Madrid to win the UEFA Champions League over the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool this season. He also said that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will go right until the end.

The league stage of the Champions League 2025-26 campaign is set to kick off on Tuesday, September 16. Arsenal will take on Athletic Club at the San Mames Stadium in one of the opening games. Meanwhile, Liverpool will host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

David Beckham was recently asked on CBS Sports to pick his favorites for the trophy this season. He answered:

"I think PSG will go close again this year, but I’m going to go with Real Madrid."

PSG won the trophy last season, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final. Real Madrid, meanwhile, were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.

Meanwhile, picking his top scorer in the Champions League this season, 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. I really believe that this season is going to be his season in La Liga and the Champions League."

Beckham also picked Newcastle United as the surprise of the competition.


A look at Liverpool and Arsenal's 2024-25 Champions League campaigns

Arsenal and Liverpool competed for the Premier League title last season, with the latter winning it by 10 points. They also reached the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League and were both eliminated by PSG at different stages.

Liverpool finished at the top of the table in the inaugural league stage of the competition, winning seven and losing one of their eight games. Their only defeat came against PSV Eindhoven after they had already secured a place in the Top 8. Liverpool, however, couldn't get past PSG in the Round of 16, losing 4-1 on penalties after the aggregate score after both legs was 1-1.

Arsenal, on the other hand, finished third in the league table, with six wins, one defeat, and one draw. They drew against Atalanta and lost against Inter Milan in the league stage. They then hammered PSV 9-3 on aggregate in the Round of 16

In the quarter-finals, the Gunners beat Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate. They, however, lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the semi-finals and were eliminated.

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Aditya Singh

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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