David Beckham opens up on his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson after 18 years

David Beckham looks on from the stands before an MLS soccer match between Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami CF in Los Angeles, in this Sunday, March 1, 2020 [AP Photo, Marcio Jose Sanchez]

David Beckham says Sir Alex Ferguson continues to inspire him - 18 years on from when he left Manchester United.

A 17-year-old Beckham was handed his senior debut by Ferguson in 1992 and the Scot would mould him into one of the finest midfielders to grace the Premier League.

A member of the 'Class of '92', the Englishman was a key figure in a glittering team which won six Premier League titles in eight seasons - including an unprecedented treble in 1999 - before he moved to Real Madrid in 2003.

Beckham believes the brotherhood Ferguson instilled amongst his players was crucial to the Red Devils' success and hailed his "incredible" former manager as he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame on Thursday.

"The sense of community and family that Sir Alex ensured we all felt was so important," Beckham told premierleague.com.

"I was lucky to be in a team that I had supported since I was a boy and with a group of players who I had played with for such a long period of time.

"That made us all so much closer as a team. We all fought for each other on the pitch every second.

Manchester United's Scottish manager Alex Ferguson holds the Premier League trophy at the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Swansea City at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England. [AFP, Andrew Yates]

"Sir Alex was an incredible manager and there’s no way we would have been able to achieve what we did without him. He will always be an inspiration to me."

Beckham joins an elite list in the Premier League Hall of Fame alongside his former teammates Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, as well as Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Dennis Bergkamp and Steven Gerrard.

"To be honoured alongside people like Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry feels very special," the former England captain added.

"Thierry and Alan were undoubtedly two of the greatest ever in their position in the league. This is made even more of an honour for me knowing that it was down to the fans.

"My career playing in the Premier League gave me some of the best moments of my life and it’s a privilege to be recognised in this way."