Former Manchester United and England midfielder David Beckham paid a glowing tribute to the immediate former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, following his departure on Sunday, after almost a decade at Anfield.

During a podcast interview, Beckham stated that his tribute to the manager might get him in trouble with some Manchester United fans and his friends.

“Even as a Man United fan, I love Jurgen. I love his character, his personality, and what he brings to the sport,” stated Beckham.

“I am going to get killed by some of my Man United friends. I am sad to see him leave. What he has done for the club and the sport has been incredible,” he added.

Despite being an integral part of the glamorous and trophy-laden years at Old Trafford under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson, Beckham made the surprising revelation that he absolutely adores Jurgen Klopp for his personality and his contributions to the sport.

Given that the rivalry between United and Liverpool is one of the fiercest in football history, the lavish praise coming from a former Red Devil is a rare occurrence.

Jurgen Klopp made Liverpool FC champions of England, Europe and the world within five years of his appointment at Anfield in October 2015.

The charismatic German ended the Reds’ 30-year wait for a league title in the summer of 2020 as his relentless side, one carefully constructed throughout his tenure, emphatically secured top spot in the Premier League with seven games remaining.

Revered by fans from the earliest weeks of his spell on Merseyside, Klopp had already delivered the club’s sixth European Cup the previous year, when Tottenham Hotspur were defeated 2-0 in Madrid in the Reds’ second successive Champions League final appearance.

ALSO READ: Liverpool confirms Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor