Aaron Hickey's rise from Hearts academy to Romeo Beckham's mate sets him up for Scotland glamour

Young defender is living the dream at the highest level.

Living in west London with Romeo Beckham among your mates sounds fairly glamorous, although you wouldn’t know it from conversation with Aaron Hickey. He is relaxed almost to the point of being horizontal whilst chatting at Hampden Park. Another big game awaits when Scotland entertain Georgia on Tuesday night. That doesn’t remotely fluster him, either.

Don’t mistake the composure for indifference. Motivation and passion are plentiful within this 21-year-old despite the outward equanimity. He is literally living out the dream as an English Premier League footballer with Brentford, a recently-established starter for his country, and a visitor to the Beckhams’ family home. It’s good reason to feel excited. Just four years ago, Hickey was a youth academy teenager at Hearts working quietly in the hope of building a professional career.

He has since played in a Scottish Cup final, scored goals for Bologna in Serie A, joined Brentford for £14million, and established himself in a Scotland team which has won 13 of the last 16 competitive international fixtures. It’s one of those meteoric sporting rises which just makes for a great story, no matter how often people tell it.

“Yeah, it's been really fast for me,” says Hickey. “Obviously, recently I moved club, moved country, got called up for Scotland and I'm meeting different people. It's all come fast but I'm enjoying it all so far. I’m still quite young but, coming into this [Scotland] team, the gaffer believes in me so I've got to believe in myself and perform well for him. I'm just thankful to the gaffer.”

The Scotland coach Steve Clarke saw enough development in Hickey in both Italy and England to pitch him in at right wing-back for the national side. He emerged at Riccarton playing on the left side of defence but, as one of those rare ambipedal footballers, converted seamlessly to the opposite side whilst abroad.

“I don't see too much of a difference between the two leagues,” says Hickey. “You are coming up against bigger names in the Premier League. I like a challenge so it's good for me playing every week against top-class players.”

It’s also good for his image hanging about with one of the Beckhams, although there is nothing superficial about Hickey. Young Romeo is the same age and plays for the same club. Their mutual interests are obvious. “He's in the B team so we are quite pally. I see him every day in the changing rooms and we hang out together,” explains Hickey.

Aaron Hickey is currently Scotland's first-choice right wing-back after a rapid rise since his Hearts days. Pic: SNS

“It's funny, yeah. His dad is David Beckham, which is a bit of a weird one, but he is a great guy. He is humble as well. He is a decent player and he's in the reserve squad. I don't really see too much but, from what I've heard, he seems to be decent.”

Hickey hasn’t yet met Becks or Posh or the other proprietors of Brand Beckham. Although David does occasionally visit Brentford’s training ground. “I haven't met him. I've been round to his house a few times but he [Beckham Snr] hasn't been there. He is in the club sometimes just walking around but I haven't met him or his [Romeo’s] mum.”

Hickey’s advance from Hearts youth academy to Scotland first-choice is a microcosm of the national team’s own recent rise to prominence. Three wins from three to open Euro 2024 qualifying peaked with roars of utter disbelief and joy during those final few minutes in Oslo on Saturday evening. Cyprus, Spain and Norway have fallen to Scotland. If Georgia do likewise at Hampden, it will be the first time in history that the national side have won their first four qualifiers.

Ever the pragmatist, Clarke moved quickly amid euphoria deep inside the Ullevaal Stadion to keep Scottish minds transfixed on the task ahead. “When we went into the changing room everyone was buzzing and hugging each other,” reveals Hickey. “The manager came in delighted with the result but, at the same time, he said not to let it get to our heads and to stay focused. We’ve got another game coming up so stay calm and focus.”

It is a wise mindset to adopt given previous evidence of gallus Scots getting carried away too early during qualifying campaigns. Georgia are currently second in Group A but five points behind leaders Scotland. Defeat in Glasgow would inflict serious damage to their hopes of reaching Germany next summer. Spain are a further point behind, although they will have two games in hand by the time the next set of qualifiers take place in September.

Hickey’s mind is occupied with Georgia’s talisman, the Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Their paths didn’t cross in Serie A as Kvaratskhelia arrived in Naples after Hickey left Bologna. However, the diminutive forward is likely to be the young Scot’s direct opponent at Hampden.

“I’ve seen him myself in the Champions League and I know he’s a top player,” admits Hickey. “He’s very good with one v ones and we all know he’s one of their key players. We have to work together to try and shut him down as much as we can.

“He plays on the left and I've watched him in Serie A last season. You can tell he's a top player and everyone knows that. We played against top players in Norway. We had Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and other top players so we know we can believe in ourselves and hopefully we can just do our best.

“Funny enough, I actually do enjoy the bigger challenges against big names. I like to play against the top players. This is another good challenge for me and I will enjoy it.”