Sir David Beckham has said parents must let their children “make mistakes” just one day after his son Brooklyn publicly aired his grievances with his family in an Instagram post that drew global media attention.
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the former England footballer did not address the dispute but talked about his children and social media.
“I’ve always spoke about social media and the power of social media, for the good and for the bad. The bad, we’ve talked about, what kids can access these days, and it can be dangerous.
“But what I’ve found personally, you know, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons. You know, I’ve been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF, and it’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children, and I’ve tried to do the same,” he said.
“I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids. But you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes,” he continued.
David Beckham declines to comment directly
When asked directly about Brooklyn’s statement by Sky News correspondent Paul Kelso, the 50-year-old did not respond as he walked across the event floor.
Kelso asked: “David, do you have a message for Brooklyn this morning? Are you disappointed family business is being aired in public?”
Brooklyn, 26, made claims regarding David and his wife Victoria Beckham, the singer and fashion designer, in the social media statement posted on 19 January.
In his Instagram post, Brooklyn said his parents had been controlling narratives in the press about his family and tried to “ruin” his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
Brooklyn Beckham does not ‘want to reconcile’ with family
“I do not want to reconcile with my family,” he wrote. “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.
“For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.”
He added: “Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they’ll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.”
Brooklyn stated: “I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.”
Nicola, who is the daughter of the American billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz and former model Claudia Heffner Peltz, married Brooklyn in 2022. He is the eldest child of the Beckhams, who have two other sons, Cruz, 20, and Romeo, 23, and one daughter, Harper, 14.
Brooklyn has dabbled in photography and cooking, having released a book of snapshots called What I See in 2017 and a hot sauce brand, Cloud23, in 2024. He has also posted videos of his cooking to social media.
Timeline of family tensions
Brooklyn and Nicola spent Christmas 2025 with her family instead of the Beckhams. In his recap of 2025, David shared photos from throughout the year but none included Brooklyn or Nicola.
Hours later, David shared throwback snapshots of himself with each of his children, writing over a portrait with Brooklyn: “I love you all so much.”
After fans noticed that neither David or Victoria were following Brooklyn’s Instagram in late December 2025, Cruz shut down speculation that the couple had blocked their son.
“NOT TRUE,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “My mum and dad would never unfollow their son..Let’s get the facts right. They woke up blocked…as did I.”
When David was awarded a knighthood in November 2025, neither Brooklyn or Nicola commented on the honour. The couple was also absent when David’s football team Inter Miami CF won the MLS Cup in December 2025, with only Victoria, Romeo, Cruz and Harper at the game.
Brooklyn and Nicola were also noticeably absent from photos posted when family and friends gathered in London to celebrate David’s 50th birthday in May 2025.
Brooklyn and Nicola have hired Jenny Afia of law firm Schillings to “set the record straight, combat spread of misinformation”, according to a source.
