Revealed: Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham & AC Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko kicked balls into Paolo Maldini’s back garden during impromptu late-night kick around

The pair spent a brief period as team-mates in 2009, with both taking in loan spells at AC Milan. They struck up a bond on and off the pitch, leading to the odd social outing being enjoyed. After one foray into town, Beckham, Alessandro Nesta and Beppe Favalli returned to Shevchenko’s house for an impromptu game that resulted in them losing several balls over the fence – with another legendary club colleague living next door.

Shevchenko has said in his book ‘My Life, My Football’: “The house was on Via Ravizza, near to San Siro. One night, me, Beckham, Favalli and Nesta played a game of football in the small garden. Every now and then, the ball finished on my neighbour’s lawn on the other side of the wall. When this happened, we shouted ‘ball’ like you do when you’re a kid, but nobody responded. Luckily, we had a few back-ups. We weren’t exactly being quiet, and one or two shrieks may have slipped out. At a certain point, the doorbell rang. We looked each other in the eye, thinking ‘right, maybe someone is angry about the noise we’re making and has come to tell us’. Sure enough, when we opened the door, my neighbour was standing there. With four balls in his arms. He looked like a juggler and didn’t seem best pleased. ‘Excuse me lads, are these yours?’ Yes, Paolo…’ My neighbour was Paolo Maldini. We burst out laughing. We had just found a new participant for our impromptu game. ‘I’d like to play in defence, if possible…’.”

While Beckham’s radar may have been off that night, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star did impress Shevchenko during his short time in Italy. The iconic Ukrainian frontman added on working alongside the ex-England captain: “[Carlo] Ancelotti was still in charge, while on the pitch I could admire close-up the talent of Ronaldinho, an absolute phenomenon. In training, I saw professionalism taken to a different level by David Beckham. Those who didn’t know him spoke of his image, his wife Victoria, his obsession with looking good. The lucky ones who got to work with him every day spoke, instead, of an almost maniacal application, of a continual desire to raise the bar. Sweat and fatigue, running and exercises to raise the quality of a technique that was already ultra-refined. Beckham really was an example. I appreciated the way he conducted himself and saw the role of a footballer.”

Beckham took in 33 appearances for Milan across two loan spells from MLS side the LA Galaxy. He is now back in the States as a co-owner at Inter Miami, with that role allowing him to work with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.