MIAMI, United States, Mar 14 – David Beckham’s six-year wait to watch his Major League Soccer club make its home debut, which was to have ended Saturday, has been extended by the league’s coronavirus shutdown.

Beckham’s Inter Miami was to have hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy, the MLS club where the former England and Manchester United star played from 2007 through 2012, in its first match at its temporary home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Instead, the entire league has joined all major North American sports leagues and shut down its season for 30 days due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

That left Inter Miami owner and president Beckham and his wife, Victoria, to post messages on Instagram with photos taken in an empty 20,000-seat stadium.

“It’s times like these when we are reminded of the things that are truly important in life,” Beckham posted on Instagram. “Our health. Our loved ones and looking after those that need support in our communities.

“In these moments, sports take a back seat. We must all listen to expert advice and do the right thing. Stay safe and look out for yourselves and your families.”

Inter Miami still seeks a first-ever MLS triumph, having lost 1-0 at Los Angeles FC on March 1 and 2-1 at DC United six days later.

Those matches culminated a wild six-year effort filled with setbacks and frustrations.

Beckham, 44, came to the United States in 2007, the global icon leaving Real Madrid for a deal with the Galaxy that included the option to buy an MLS expansion club at a discounted price.

Over six seasons with the Galaxy, Beckham helped raise the sport’s US profile and was a major contributor to the club’s 2011 and 2012 MLS Cup titles.

After retiring in 2013, Beckham decided to exercise his option for an MLS expansion team in 2014 and sought to build a soccer-specific stadium in Miami.

Struggles with city leaders and civic groups followed, location after location foiled by one problem after another, and MLS hesitated to award a franchise to a group without a stadium plan set in place.

Beckham joined with Miami-based construction magnates Jorge and Jose Mas in 2017 and that represented a turning point in his quest.

In 2018, city officials approved construction of the Miami Freedom Park complex near Miami International Airport, its centerpiece being a new 25,000-seat stadium that is expected to be ready for Inter Miami to move into in 2022.

“Everything we’ve tried to do to get this franchise up and running was a challenge,” Beckham said last month.

“There wasn’t one (easy) thing — from finding the land, thinking what kind of stadium we want, what kind of players we want, what kind of manager we want, even down to what tiles we had in the showers — everything was a challenge.

“But I wasn’t going to give up.”

Perseverance has paid off with a new team and an optimistic future, even though it’s uncertain for now just when Beckham will be able to join Miami supporters at a home match.

(Visited 6 times, 6 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

CAF to assess anti-virus measures for CHAN

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Biles takes aim at USA Gymnastics in birthday tweetrn

rn rn Gamern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn NBA’s next steps hinge on US results in virus fightrn

rn rn Basketballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Long wait continues for Beckham club’s MLS home debutrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Serie A doctors warn return to training, 11 players get virusrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Semenya switches to 200m in search of more Olympics gloryrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 1 day ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Five more Serie A players test positive for coronavirusrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 day ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Biles takes aim at USA Gymnastics in birthday tweet

rn rn rn Gamern rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

NBA’s next steps hinge on US results in virus fight

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Long wait continues for Beckham club’s MLS home debut

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Serie A doctors warn return to training, 11 players get virus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Semenya switches to 200m in search of more Olympics glory

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Five more Serie A players test positive for coronavirus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Football braced for financial impact from coronavirus outbreak

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

German Bundesliga suspended over coronavirus: league

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Coronavirus: Effects so far on Kenyan sport

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

UEFA postpone next week’s UCL, Europa League matches

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 13th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Biles takes aim at USA Gymnastics in birthday tweetrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Serie A doctors warn return to training, 11 players get virusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn CAF to assess anti-virus measures for CHANrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn I’m supernatural, says Semenyarn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Crusaders go top as Blues maul Lionsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Biles takes aim at USA Gymnastics in birthday tweetrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Serie A doctors warn return to training, 11 players get virusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn CAF to assess anti-virus measures for CHANrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn I’m supernatural, says Semenyarn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Crusaders go top as Blues maul Lionsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 14th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */