Gary Neville has spoken of his past experience of sharing a room with David Beckham, citing their incompatibility. Despite playing together for Manchester United for 11 years, their harmony was absent whenever they shared a hotel room. United would pair players up in twin rooms during away trips, having come through the club’s academy together.
Clashing Schedules and Habits
Neville conceded that he found it difficult to share a space with Beckham. He revealed that they only roomed together for six months. Neville cited two reasons in particular.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville said: “I roomed with David Beckham for about six months and then the whole rooming with players completely stopped because everybody went into their own individual rooms.
“I think they worked out that players weren’t compatible with each other and that each went to bed at different times. I had two big problems with Becks (well, he had with me!).
“I used to go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 5am, he would stay up until 11pm and want to wake up at 8am, so essentially he was keeping me up from 9 until 11 and then I was getting him up at 5 in the morning, so it just wasn’t working at all.”
Cleanliness and Personal Space
It wasn’t solely their sleeping habits that clashed. Neville conceded that his untidy nature was the polar opposite of Beckham’s perfectionist tendencies.
Neville added: “Secondly, he is the cleanest person.
“He gets into his room, he lights candles, he puts pictures up – everything has to be absolutely perfect, it’s been the same since he was 18. I just throw everything everywhere, so it just did not work at all.
“I’m always talking, always arguing and he was the complete opposite of that. He would listen to music, he would want peace, he would want to be chilled and it’s just the complete opposite end of the spectrum of where I was at.”
On-Field Success Despite Off-Field Differences
Their off-pitch differences did nothing to hinder United’s supremacy throughout the 90s. The pair claimed six Premier League titles together, including their Treble triumph in 1999.
Having forged a close friendship during their formative years at United, Neville went on to serve as Beckham’s best man at his marriage to Victoria Beckham.
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