David Beckham to retire from football

David Beckham to retire from football at end of season

Former England captain David Beckham is to retire at the end of the season.

The 38-year-old signed a five-month deal at Paris St-Germain in January and donated all of his salary to charity.

Beckham joined Manchester United as a 14-year-old and made 398 appearances, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

"I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level," he said.

Including PSG's recent Ligue 1 title win, Beckham has won 19 trophies - 10 of them league titles - in a playing career spanning 20 years, and is the only English player to win championships in four countries.

"If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy," he said.

"I'm fortunate to have realised those dreams."

Beckham moved to Real Madrid in 2003, winning La Liga with them in 2007 before a switch to the United States with LA Galaxy.

The midfielder made his England debut against Moldova in 1996 and captained the side from 2000 to 2006, making his 115th and final England appearance in a 3-0 win over Belarus in 2009.

He added: "Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love. However, I feel like I'm starting a new adventure and I'm genuinely excited about what lies ahead.

"I'm fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it's my time to give back."

He has two more games to go before the end of the season, concluding on 18 May at home to Brest.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22558393

We should have a mosaic on the kop it would read:

"F**k Off yer manc tw*t"

Overrated piece of sh*t.

Thought he did when he went LA?.

Anyway I retiring too as its flavour of the month.

Just when QPR were about to sign him

The most overrated player of his generation.

Can't wait for all the overreactions to his retirement.... not!

Like him or not, I think he was a great footballer. He wasn't a Zidane or Maradona, didn't have great technical ability but he had a great cross and decent shot. His overall work rate is hard to argue against. No doubt in my mind that he could have been ten times the player he was if he didn't follow the money and go to America. All the same, great player and, although he wasn't everybody's cup of tea, I like him.

Leyton Orient have had calls in for fans trying to get tickets to Beckham's last game, which is against Lorient of France.

He might be a manc but he's a fantastic guy and role model for the whole of football, will be sorely missed.

He was finished/retired years ago, what's all this sh*t about?

The most overrated player of his generation.

To go one step further, IMO Beckham was the most overrated player of the most overrated generation of England players.

Thought he did when he went LA?.

Winning an MLS Cup was much harder than I think he and everyone else anticipated. It was only in his last two seasons did he finally win. Otherwise, a lot of dead air from 2007 to 2011. The whole playoff structure in American sports has, unfortunately, carried over into MLS.

if he didn't follow the money and go to America

As for the money, he wasn't paid all that much, actually. He made all of his money in endorsements which he carried over from his career. He could have made a lot more money if he didn't go to MLS.

meh.

To go one step further, IMO Beckham was the most overrated player of the most overrated generation of England players.

You're probably right!

And that's quite an achievement.

He had one hell of a right foot on him and as an ambassador of football I think he's done an incredible amount of work for British sport. Proved this no more than in  his role helping London win the Olympics for 2012 which for me is one of the most defining sporting moments of my country's history. I shall never forget those two weeks last summer. I can't thank him enough for that. Overrated as a footballer? Perhaps. But maybe we are confusing the footballer with the image. For me I think he's a genuine individual who has, as the years have gone by, presented himself in an impeccable fashion which many others could follow. Unlike the retirement of Ferguson, I will salute this retirement. I couldn't have imagined myself saying this over 10 years ago, but well played David. Well played.

He might be a manc but he's a fantastic guy and role model for the whole of football, will be sorely missed.

Yep can remember him being a role model when he ran the length of the Old Trafford turf in 99 to taunt us with his mate Neville and nearly causing a riot in the process.

Yep can remember him being a role model when he ran the length of the Old Trafford turf in 99 to taunt us with his mate Neville and nearly causing a riot in the process.

Mate thats football, they were celebrating against their biggest rivals, it happens and we might not like it all the time but thats football. If Stevie Gerrard did the same we'd be laughing our F***ing arses off. Besides, he was a lot younger back then despite how much of a c**t he was that day....and aside from his football career he's done a shed load for the community so best of luck to him!

Mate thats football, they were celebrating against their biggest rivals, it happens and we might not like it all the time but thats football. If Stevie Gerrard did the same we'd be laughing our F***ing arses off. Besides, he was a lot younger back then despite how much of a c**t he was that day....and aside from his football career he's done a shed load for the community so best of luck to him!

Still funny that look on his face when the plazzy chairs started being ripped out and lashed at him!!

Still funny that look on his face when the plazzy chairs started being ripped out and lashed at him!!

Haha that's what you get for trying it with the most passionate fans in the world! In fact, I only ever started to like Becks post United days, while he was at Utd I couldn't really stand him but that was more to do with him playing for Utd. On the other hand you have the likes of bacon face & rat face, they're just full-time cu*ts.

Haha that's what you get for trying it with the most passionate fans in the world! In fact, I only ever started to like Becks post United days, while he was at Utd I couldn't really stand him but that was more to do with him playing for Utd. On the other hand you have the likes of bacon face & rat face, they're just full-time cu*ts.

Gary Neville ain't that bad. He's an antagonistic individual who played the anti Liverpool player to perfection unlike that genuine c**t of a human being Patrice Evra who is quite frankly a poor excuse for a human being. Neville was a pantomime villain who knew how to play the pantomime villain...and I strangely respect him for that! No doubt helped by his very very good skills as a tv pundit today though!

Been semi-retired or years.

Gary Neville ain't that bad. He's an antagonistic individual who played the anti Liverpool player to perfection unlike that genuine c**t of a human being Patrice Evra who is quite frankly a poor excuse for a human being. Neville was a pantomime villain who knew how to play the pantomime villain...and I strangely respect him for that! No doubt helped by his very very good skills as a tv pundit today though!

Yeah truthfully I'd agree with that, Neville is just one of them mancs you can't help but hate, purely cause he's so anti-Liverpool. I wouldn't want to punch him if I saw him, but yes Evra is another level. Absolute bellend of the highest class, can't stand him. I heard he's got a dark past aswell, not too sure what it's about though.

Good posts from Scouse_Jatt and Frankly, Mr Shankely, whats football without rivalry, not gunna eulogize about the guy but to just say he is a c**t etc being simple minded. Think he is ok guy dont really like the celebrity circus that follows him, his own making or not.

Gary Neville ain't that bad. He's an antagonistic individual who played the anti Liverpool player to perfection unlike that genuine c**t of a human being Patrice Evra who is quite frankly a poor excuse for a human being. Neville was a pantomime villain who knew how to play the pantomime villain...and I strangely respect him for that! No doubt helped by his very very good skills as a tv pundit today though!

I begrudgingly have to agree about neville nevilles neville, as much as it makes me bork, although we should never forget him planting a big sloppy kiss on the little ginger retiree scholes though, double bork. I have no gag reflex when agreeing with you about that F***ing c**t evra though, he really is a vile little man who needs one hell of a good kicking and the deportation to Uruguay where the locals can adress him as they wish on a daily basis, hell on earth for the poor little tw*t.