David Beckham visits empty stadium as MLS club's home debut delayed

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 league's coronavirus shutdown.  But that didn't stop him and his family from visiting Inter Miami's empty stadium on Saturday.  Beckham's club was to have hosted Los Angeles Galaxy, MLS club where former England and Manchester United star played from 2007 through 2012, in its first match at its temporary home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

Beckham visits empty stadium 

Instead, entire league has joined all major rth American sports leagues and shut down its season for 30 days due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  That left Inter Miami owner and president Beckham and his wife, Victoria, to take ir four children to empty venue and post a video on Instagram.  "Special day showing family what we've built," Beckham posted as camera made a 360-degree tour of empty Inter Miami Stadium while music of Spice Girls -- his wife's former group -- blared through loudspeakers. 

Beckham also posted messs Friday on Instagram with photos taken from field in empty 20,000-seat stadium. 

"It's times like se when we are reminded of 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 se moments, sports take a back seat. We must all listen to expert advice and do 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 United States in 2007, global icon leaving Real Madrid for a deal with Galaxy that included option to buy an MLS expansion club at a discounted price. 

Over six seasons with Galaxy, Beckham helped raise sport's US profile and was a major contributor to 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 ar, 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 Miami Freedom Park complex near Miami International Airport, its centrepiece 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.  "re wasn't one (easy) thing -- from finding land, thinking what kind of stadium we want, what kind of players we want, what kind of manr we want, even down to what tiles we had in showers -- everything was a challenge.  "But I wasn't going to give up."

Im credits: AP