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Beckham Announces Retirement From Soccer Beckham Announces Retirement From Soccer
(about 2 hours later)
David Beckham, the English midfielder who combined devastating free kicks, dashing good looks and savvy marketing to become one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, announced Thursday that he would retire from soccer at season’s end.David Beckham, the English midfielder who combined devastating free kicks, dashing good looks and savvy marketing to become one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, announced Thursday that he would retire from soccer at season’s end.
Beckham, 38, has played his final season for Paris St.-Germain, adding a French league championship to the ones he won in England with Manchester United, in Spain with Real Madrid and in the United States with the Los Angeles Galaxy. His achievements on the field and smart branding by his camp and the shoe company Adidas made him an icon of his generation and a household name everywhere the game is played.Beckham, 38, has played his final season for Paris St.-Germain, adding a French league championship to the ones he won in England with Manchester United, in Spain with Real Madrid and in the United States with the Los Angeles Galaxy. His achievements on the field and smart branding by his camp and the shoe company Adidas made him an icon of his generation and a household name everywhere the game is played.
“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 one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy,” Beckham said in a statement. “I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”“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 one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy,” Beckham said in a statement. “I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”
Beckham’s glory years came at Manchester United, where he won six Premier League titles, two F.A. Cups and the 1999 Champions League title under Manager Alex Ferguson, who coincidentally also retired this month. He joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 in a blockbuster transfer worth $45 million. Over the course of his career, Beckham became as much a pop culture icon as a soccer player. He married a Spice Girl, the former Victoria Adams, and they own an Italian villa in Beverly Hills. His face adorns billboards in dozens of countries. According to Forbes, he was the world’s highest-paid soccer player in 2012 at $50.6 million, including his endorsements, which also made him the eighth highest paid athlete in the world. His signature free kick inspired a 2002 movie called “Bend It Like Beckham.” A film exhibit at Britain’s National Portrait Gallery in 2004 consisted entirely of him taking a nap.
His next move was to the Los Angeles Galaxy, in 2007, where his mere presence lifted the profile of then-struggling Major League Soccer. And while he angered fans with two off-season loans to A.C. Milan in Italy, he delivered two league championships before leaving last year. His country not only hailed his soccer skill but also his contributions in helping London land the 2012 Olympics. He employed his considerable star power in the successful Olympic bid.
Beckham’s soccer glory years came at Manchester United, where he won six Premier League titles, two F.A. Cups and the 1999 Champions League title under Manager Alex Ferguson, who also retired this month. He joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 in a blockbuster transfer worth $45 million.
His next move was to the Galaxy, in 2007, where his mere presence lifted the profile of then-struggling Major League Soccer. And while he angered fans with two off-season loans to A.C. Milan in Italy, he helped deliver league championships in 2011 and 2012 before leaving after last season.
Beckham also made 115 appearances for England, a record for an outfield player, and represented his country in three World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006). He might have played in a fourth in 2010, but he tore his Achilles’ tendon three months before the opening while playing for A.C. Milan.Beckham also made 115 appearances for England, a record for an outfield player, and represented his country in three World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006). He might have played in a fourth in 2010, but he tore his Achilles’ tendon three months before the opening while playing for A.C. Milan.
Instead he was invited to join Coach Fabio Capello’s staff as a liaison between the coaches and the players. That could be a hint of his plans for life after his playing career, if his decision is indeed final, though he has long been rumored to be interested in club ownership, especially in Major League Soccer. Instead he was invited to join Coach Fabio Capello’s staff as a liaison between the coaches and the players. That could be a hint of his plans for life after his playing career, if his decision is indeed final, though he has long been rumored to be interested in club ownership, especially in Major League Soccer. He has already accepted a role as an ambassador for Chinese soccer, which will include personal appearances to help boost the popularity of the sport in that country.
“I’m thankful to P.S.G. for giving me the opportunity to continue, but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” Beckham said.“I’m thankful to P.S.G. for giving me the opportunity to continue, but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” Beckham said.
There is a fitting twist to Beckham announcing his exit barely a week after Ferguson did the same. The two reigned over English soccer together, winning six Premier League titles between 1996 and 2003. The two had a falling out in 2003 when an irate Ferguson kicked a cleat on the floor of the locker room during a tirade and it hit Beckham in the head. They have mended their relationship since, and both became legends in their own right.
In the end, Beckham said he hopes he is not remembered for his celebrity, but for his performances on the fieid.
“I want people to see me as a hardworking footballer — someone who, when he steps on the pitch, he gives everything he’s got,” Beckham said. “When I look back on my career that is how I look back on it and that is how I hope people have seen me.”