Ronaldo & Beckham Suit Up For India At Commonwealth Games 2026, But With A Twist

Commonwealth Games 2026: David Beckham and Ronaldo are all set to represent India at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. However, there’s a big twist in the plot, they are not the football greats you might think.

When their names will be announced at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Arena during the CWG 2026, the Scottish crowd is likely to mistake them for the football legends. But that’s not the case. India has its own Beckham and Ronaldo, and they don’t play football.

David Beckham Elkatohchoongo and Ronaldo Laitonjam Singh are set to don the Indian jersey in cycling at the Commonwealth Games 2026, where they hope to deliver a gold medal. Both athletes come from football‑loving families in India.

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David Beckham Set To Take Part At CWG 2026, But Not The Footballer

Beckham Elkatohchoongo, born in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, rose to prominence after clinching multiple gold medals as a youth cyclist. He once played football in inter‑school tournaments but took up cycling professionally at his grandfather’s request. Beckham shoulders high expectations this time at CWG 2026, having made his debut in 2022, where he was eliminated in the men’s keirin repechages.

“I was called David Beckham because my dad was a huge fan. He is the best footballer ever. The name is a blessing. David Beckham is world famous. Everybody knows him. But nobody believes me when I tell them my name. Immigration only believed me when they saw my passport,” Elkatohchoongo said, as quoted by the Telegraph.

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Indian Ronaldo To Take Part At CWG 2026

Ronaldo, meanwhile, was not named after the Portuguese or Brazilian legends but after 2002 World Cup winner Ronaldinho, whose real name is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.

According to The Athletic, the day Ronaldo Singh was born, Brazil defeated England in the 2002 World Cup quarter‑finals in Japan, a match remembered for Ronaldinho’s majestic free‑kick. It is said that Ronaldo’s mother went into labour at the exact moment Ronaldinho struck the stunning 40‑yard goal, inspiring his name.

Even though he was named after the Brazilian star, the Indian cyclist admitted he was never good at football.