The next generation of Beckhams have started to make their own name in the soccer world. The Daily Star reports that Arsenal signed David Beckham’s 15 year old son, Brooklyn, to a short-term contract after a successful trial. There is potential for a long-term deal after the current season is over.
As one can assume, many people are calling this nepotism and Brooklyn is only getting signed because of his last name. I can see why people would think that but I see it like this. Brooklyn’s father is one of the greatest English soccer players of all time so he’s got the biological genes of a legendary soccer player. Brooklyn is also immersed in the game and probably has been playing all his life due to being David Beckham’s son, so he’s got the training required. Since we’re all talking about the move, it shows that Brooklyn is marketable and can be enticing for sponsors to be affiliated with the Beckham name as well as a relationship with his father. Last, but not least, all of that put together, Brooklyn is a safer risk than some random, unknown kid who had to be discovered. Teams already have a general idea of what Brooklyn is capable of without even having to spend money on scouting because the Beckhams are in the news all the time. That makes it a minimum risk in the beginning.
The main thing about nepotism, regardless if it’s in soccer or in business, is that it can only get you so far. It’s a great way to get into the team but a name is only that after a while. You still have to have the skills to prove you belong. You also have to work even harder to show you are on the team based on skills and merit because of the perspective of nepotism from many people. From what I was able to see, Brooklyn has some skills. I’m just worried that the powers that be at Arsenal or any team that he signs with in the future will bring him up too early because of his name. Bring him up too early and he struggles, that’ll just give those who claim nepotism the belief that they’re right. Arsenal has a potential great player, they just need to be smart in how they handle his development.
