Beckham calls time on career

David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of the season.



The former England captain, who turned 38 earlier this month, will quit at the top days after helping Paris St Germain to their first French championship in 19 years.

That made him the first Englishman to win titles in four different countries, and PSG were keen to hold on to the midfielder beyond the end of his short-term contract.

But Beckham has instead opted to follow his old mentor Sir Alex Ferguson into retirement, calling a halt to a senior career which began with a Manchester United debut in a League Cup tie at Brighton on September 23 1992.

His final appearance is likely to come for PSG away at Lorient on May 26.

He said: "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.

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

Beckham won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League with United, where he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1997.

Glenn Hoddle gave him an England debut in September 1996, and he survived the fall-out from an infamous red card at the 1998 World Cup to become his country's most-capped outfield player, 59 of 115 appearances coming as skipper.

Beckham left Old Trafford for Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 and won the Liga title in the last of his four seasons in Spain before signing for LA Galaxy, where he was twice an MLS Cup winner.

He spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan and made a final move to Paris in January this year.

Beckham joined Sky as an ambassador for sport earlier this year and has also spent time promoting football in China.

He said: "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."



BECKHAM'S CAREER BY NUMBERS

Manchester United - 394 games, 85 goals

Preston North End (loan) - 5 games 2 goals

Real Madrid - 115 games 20 goals

LA Galaxy - 118 games 20 goals

AC Milan - 33 games 2 goals

PSG - 11 games 0 goals



DAVID BECKHAM FACTFILE

• 1975: Born Leytonstone, May 2.


• 1991: Joins Manchester United as trainee.


• 1992: Makes debut against Brighton in the League Cup on September 23. Wins FA Youth Cup.


• 1993: Signs professional contract at Old Trafford.


• 1995: Joins Preston on loan in February and scores two goals in five games.


• 1996: Helps United to Premier League and FA Cup double.


• Scores goal of the season on opening day at Wimbledon, lobbing Neil Sullivan from the halfway line. Makes his England debut in the 3-0 win in Moldova.


• 1997: Collects another championship winners' medal, voted PFA Young Player of the Year.


• 1998: Scores first England goal, a free-kick against Colombia in Lens on June 26. Sent off in second-round penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina.


• 1999: Helps United win the Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup after coming from behind to beat Bayern Munich with two late goals.


• Runner-up in World Player of the Year awards, behind Rivaldo.


• 2000: May - Collects fourth championship winner's medal as United win title by a record 18 points.


• November - Named England captain for the November friendly with Italy in Turin by stand-in boss Peter Taylor.


• 2001: May - Collects another Premier League title with United.


• October - Curls in a 25-yard last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to earn England a 2-2 draw and send them into World Cup finals.


• 2002: May 11 - Signs new three-year contract reported to be worth between £90,000 and £100,000 a week.


• June 7 - Scores from the penalty spot in the World Cup group stage match against Argentina to seal a 1-0 win.


• England bow out in the quarter-finals at the hands of eventual winners Brazil.


• 2003: February - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson accidentally kicks a boot into Beckham's face in frustration at United's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.


• June 14 - Awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to football.


• June 17 - United announce they have accepted a £25million bid from Real Madrid for Beckham, who agrees personal terms.


• 2004: June 24 - Misses a penalty as England lose to Portugal in a shoot-out in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals in Lisbon.


• 2005: November: Captains England for 50th time in friendly against Argentina in Geneva.


• July 2 - Stands down as England captain.


• August 11 - Dropped from squad for friendly against Greece, Steve McClaren's first match as manager.


• 2007: January 11 - Beckham announces he will leave Real Madrid and join Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy on a five-year contract in August.


• January 13 - Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello says Beckham will never play for the club again.


• May 26 - McClaren hands Beckham a shock England recall for matches against Brazil and Estonia.


• June - Wins the La Liga title with Madrid, having won back his place in the team.


• August 16 - Beckham scores his first goal for Galaxy on his full debut in the SuperLiga semi-final meeting with DC United with a trademark free-kick.


• 2008: March 26 - Wins 100th cap in the friendly against France.


• October 30 - Milan announce Beckham will join them on loan on January 7, 2009.


• 2009: January 11 - Makes shock first start for Milan in 2-2 Serie A draw at Roma.


• March 9 - AC Milan announce that under a unique 'timeshare' agreement, Beckham will stay with them in Italy until the end of the season, return to the Galaxy from July to October and then rejoin the Serie A club for the rest of the 2009-10 campaign.


• March 28 - Comes on as a half-time substitute against Slovakia at Wembley to win his 109th cap and break Bobby Moore's record for an outfield player.


• July 20, 27 - Twice confronts fans who gave him a hostile reception in his first home games after returning to the Galaxy.


• 2010: March 14 - Tears his Achilles tendon in AC Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo - an injury that rules him out of the World Cup.


• June - Part of England's backroom staff for World Cup campaign which ends in second-round defeat to Germany.


• August 11 - England career appears to be at an end when Capello tells ITV: 'Probably he is a little bit old.'


• 2011: November 20 - Wins the MLS Cup as the Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the final.


• December 31 - Five-year deal at the Galaxy expires.


• 2012: January 19 - Re-signs with the Galaxy.


• June 28 - Announces he has not been included in Team GB's squad for the Olympic Games.


• November 16 - Football Federation Australia claim a representative of Beckham approaches them with a view to the midfielder making a short-term move to the A-League in the MLS off-season. A Beckham spokesman says his client has 'absolutely no plans to play in Australia'.


• November 20 - Confirms he is to leave the Galaxy after MLS Cup on December 1.


• December 1 - Ends his time in MLS in style by winning a second MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo.


• 2013: January 31 - Signs a five-month contract with Paris St Germain, revealing at a press conference he will play without a salary, donating what he would have earned to a children's charity in the French capital.


• February 24 - Makes his PSG debut as a substitute against rivals Marseille.


• April 2 - Starts Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona. A brief substitute appearance in the following week's second leg was his final European game.


• May 12 - PSG clinch the Ligue 1 title with a 1-0 win over Lyon. Beckham becomes the first Englishman to win league titles in four different countries.


• May 16 - Announces his retirement from football.

Beckham Carrer in Pictures:

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Becks: I may stay at PSG

David Beckham has told Sky Sports that Carlo Ancelotti and the Paris St Germain owner Nasser al-Khelaifi have asked him to stay with the club next season.

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Such a scenario would see Beckham playing beyond his 39th birthday and Sky Sports' new ambassador has refused to rule it out.

"My contract does end after this season. People have asked if I am going to continue to play, if I am going to continue to play here," he told Sky Sports.

"The owners, and the manager, have made it very clear they would like me to stay here and I am touched and honoured by that.

"When you join a club sometimes it takes time to bed in and get that relationship with the players, the staff and the fans, but thankfully it has happened pretty quickly here in Paris, and it has been an amazing time so far and one that is going to continue.

"I am enjoying this season so far and will enjoy it until the end of the season, hopefully we will be successful and then I will make a decision on what I do.

"But to be honest I am 38 in May and you get a reminder of your age every now and then, but I am still enjoying playing, I love playing and until that goes away I hope I can continue."

He insists that he is yet to think about retirement, adding: "People ask me at what point will I retire? And we will see.

"It is a question that keeps coming up but is something I am not thinking about right now. Until I decide that is the right thing to do - retiring is not an option yet."


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PSG's director has ruled out CR7

Paris Saint Germain sporting director Leonardo has ruled out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo and has said his side have never made a bid for the Real Madrid forward.

The Ligue 1 outift have been linked with a summer move Ronaldo since the turn of the year, with many predicting the club’s rich owners would fund a double move for both he and coach Jose Mourinho, however, former Brazilian midfielder Leonardo has said an offer has never been made.



“On Ronaldo, there has never been an offer,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.



“I’ve never heard anything about (Wayne) Rooney or (Edinson) Cavani either. I do not rule out big signings, but only if there is a suitable opportunity.



“We do want a larger squad with adequate cover in all areas in order to avoid the sort of problems we had in January in midfield with all the injuries and suspensions.”

Beckham hopes for progress

David Beckham remains hopeful Paris Saint-Germain can reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after their 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.

style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="208" />Blaise Matuidi, who will miss next Wednesday's return leg after being booked, left the quarter-final tie in the balance when his last-gasp shot squirmed beyond Victor Valdes.

Barca had twice led, through Lionel Messi's wonderful opener and Xavi's late penalty, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored PSG's first equaliser, although replays showed he should have been flagged offside.

Beckham said: "In the first half, especially in the first 10 minutes, we had a few very good chances and if we'd have put one of those away it might have been different.

"Then obviously they got their goal, then it was an uphill battle, but I think we deserved the draw.

"It's better than it was at 2-1. We go there, it's going to be difficult but there's no reason we can't go there and get a result."

Barca lost Messi at half-time with a right hamstring injury, with reports suggesting he could be out for three weeks, and Beckham added: "I hope he's not injured, we all hope he's fit and ready to go for any game that's coming up. We wish him better."

Beckham was happy to be a part of such a big occasion once more, three years after he last featured in the competition while on loan at AC Milan.

"I was obviously very happy (to start)," he said. "The manager (Carlo Ancelotti) has always shown a lot of confidence in me, especially in big moments, and tonight was a big moment for the club and I was happy to start.

"I feel pretty much the same (as at Milan), it was only three years ago. I'm enjoying being part of these nights again, they're very special."

There has been much speculation this week over a potential extension to Beckham's short-term deal in Paris, which runs until the end of the season.



But he said: "Let's wait and see. Let's recover from this game and enjoy the rest of the season."

Champions League preview: Barcelona vs. Paris SG

The French league leaders are looking to try and book what would be only their second ever appearance in the last four of Europe's elite tournament.

They previously made the semi-finals in 1995, when coincidentally they disposed of Barca in the quarter-finals.



Barca come into the game with relatively poor recent away form - by their own high standards, having won just twice from their last eight matches on the road.



However, the Catalan giants have won their last six Champions League quarter-finals and their last defeat at this stage came back in 2003 against Juventus.



And the Spanish side are also boosted by the return of their coach Tito Vilanova - who will be on the bench for the first time this year after he returned from America last week following cancer treatment.



Team News :



- PSG are boosted by the fact that their talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is available after his two-game European suspension was reduced to a single-match ban.



- Lucas Moura is fit again following a back complaint and looks certain to start along with Ezequiel Lavezzi, who was rested at the weekend.



- Italian Thiago Motta is ruled out with a groin injury, but compatriot Marco Verratti has also served his European ban and will line up alongside Blaise Matuidi in central midfield.



- David Beckham will look to get some action from the substitutes' bench.





- Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and David Villa were all rested at the weekend - but will all return.



- Xavi and Jordi Alba have also made the trip to the French capital after they recovered from hamstring problems.



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Striker Pedro will be missing through suspension, whilst injury forced Carles Puyol and Adriano to remain in Barcelona.



Victor Valdes will be recalled in goal after being suspended for league action at the weekend.

Ancelotti: Beckham could stay

Paris St Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti would welcome the opportunity to extend David Beckham's short-term contract.



Beckham arrived in France amid much fanfare in January, signing a deal which is due to run until the end of the season.

He is now 37 years of age and has spent much of the last five years away from Europe in the American MLS.

The former England captain has, however, not looked out of place at a club pushing hard for the Ligue 1 title and readying themselves for a UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

Ancelotti sees no reason why Beckham could not play on past the end of the current campaign, and hopes he can be convinced to prolong his stay in the French capital.

He said: "I would really like Beckham to extend his contract but, once again, it's a decision the player has to take in agreement with the club. But I'm in favour of it."

Beckham has faced criticism from some quarters for heading to China during the recent international break as part of an ambassadorial role, but Ancelotti claims the veteran midfielder headed to the Far East with PSG's blessing.

He added: "If he went to China, it's because everyone agreed that he could go. There's no problem. Not for me, not for the club, not for the players. I also agreed.



"I didn't understand that debate provoked by his trip. He had commitments before signing for PSG. Some had a holiday, he went to China."

Beckham begins Beijing role

David Beckham has arrived in Beijing to begin his role as China's first global football ambassador.

The former England captain, who will combine the job with playing for Paris Saint Germain, was met by a media scrum and thousands of fans at the start of his four-day visit.

Beckham will attend league matches in China and visit schools to promote the game at grassroots level.

The 37-year-old said earlier this month that he was "excited by the prospect of promoting the world's greatest game to Chinese sports fans".

Chinese football is working to recover from a match-fixing scandal that has seen several top officials, players and referees jailed or banned.

Television viewing figures for foreign leagues far outnumber those for the tarnished domestic league, while the national side failed to qualify for next year's World Cup.

Barcelona handed PSG clash

Barcelona have been drawn against Paris St Germain in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Favourites Barca booked their place in the last eight thanks to their 4-0 victory over AC Milan in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday to complete a 4-2 aggregate success.

Big-spending French side PSG progressed after seeing off Valencia 3-2 on aggregate, although Beckham was only an unused substitute in the second leg.

Paris St Germain sports director Leonardo said: "We are going to play against the best team. It is not easy but no draw would have been easy anyway. Paris deserves to be part of the big party."

The possibility remains of a clash of the Spanish giants in the final at Wembley on May 25 after Real Madrid were paired with Galatasaray in the quarter-finals, a game that should see Real boss Jose Mourinho lock horns with former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who now plays for the Turkish club.

Spain's third representatives, Malaga, have been drawn against Borussia Dortmund, while last year's beaten finalists Bayern Munich, who stuttered past Arsenal on Wednesday, will take on Celtic's conquerors Juventus.

Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "That is certainly not a dream draw for us.

"Statistically we have not had good experiences with Juventus. It will be difficult and we will need to have two good days against them to reach the semis."

Borrussia Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc was content with the draw after the Bundesliga champions were paired with Malaga.

"We can live with this draw," he said. "At least it is better than playing Barcelona, Real or Bayern."

The Premier League does not have a team in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since the 1995-96 season.

Champions League quarter-final draw: Malaga v Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid v Galatasaray, Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona, Bayern Munich v Juventus.



Fixtures:

April 2:

PSG v Barcelona

Bayern Munich v Juventus

April 3:

Malaga v Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid v Galatasaray

April 9:

Borussia Dortmund v Malaga

Galatasaray v Real Madrid

April 10:

Barcelona v PSG

Juventus v Bayern Munich

Leonardo: No Rooney offer

Paris Saint Germain sporting director Leonardo has told that the club have not made a move for Wayne Rooney, but they do like the Manchester United striker.

Leonardo admitted that PSG are in a fortunate position in terms of finances, and they could attract big players such as Rooney.

But he insisted that the club did not make an approach for him last summer and have never made a move for him.

Rooney was dropped for the second leg of Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid last week - which led to intense speculation about his future, and PSG were talked about as a possible destination.

"Paris Saint Germain became a team who can buy all the players, the opposite of the other clubs," Leonardo told Sky Sports News.

"It is nice some big players, not only Rooney, they want to come to come. It is something we are happy with, not talking about Rooney.

"I think he is one of the best players in the world."

Asked if they made a move in the summer for Rooney, he replied: "No, no, we did nothing and never did, and if we do the first one will be Manchester United, at the moment there is nothing."

Leonardo also reaffirmed PSG's happiness with David Beckham, insisting he could extend his stay with the club.

"I think David is very important, it is the beginning of the project," he said.

"David is like all the other players and is already important.

"When you decide something for the future, that is his opinion and our opinion and after the season we have to see how we are.

"It is important to finish this season and if he wants to continue with us he will. It is our choice, and his choice, but we have a very good feeling, he is very happy in Paris, he is playing in the team with big ambition for the future and he will be important for the future and the door will always be open for David as long as he wants."

PSG defeat Nancy, Lille win

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain saw off Nancy 2-1 in Ligue 1, while Lille beat Valenciennes 3-1.



David Beckham had to make do with a cameo substitute appearance as his Swedish club-mate stole the attention with two second-half goals, following Benjamin Moukandjo's first-half opener for the visitors.

Victory for PSG lifted them five points clear at the summit, ahead of Sunday's clash between second-placed Lyon and third-placed Marseille, while a fourth league defeat in five for their opponents left them six points adrift of safety.

Lille came from behind to beat Valenciennes 3-1 at the Stade du Hainaut and extend their Ligue 1 winning streak to five matches.

Maor Melikson had given mid-table Valenciennes a first-half lead, but Rudi Garcia's men slipped into another gear after the break, with goals from Ronny Rodelin, Tulio de Melo and Benoit Pedretti earning the three points.

Lower down the ladder, Evian responded to coach Pascal Dupraz's pre-match pleas with an emphatic 5-1 win over fellow strugglers Sochaux to move out of the relegation zone.

Dupraz had claimed that psychologically the game was "worth a thousand points", with Evian lying three points behind their opponents who occupied the last position above the drop zone.

By the time Cedric Barbosa and Saber Khelifa had scored twice apiece, Kevin Berigaud adding another to render Cedric Bakambu's 53rd-minute equaliser irrelevant, Evian had jumped two places to 16th and it was their shell-shocked opponents who were left residing in the bottom three.

Brest remained looking over their shoulder at the relegation places after losing 1-0 at home to Toulouse. Landry Chauvin's side headed into the game five points above the drop zone but Adrien Rabiot's goal on the stroke of half-time - coupled with Evian's win - saw Brest's margin over the bottom three shrink to just two points. Toulouse, meanwhile, climbed to 11th.

It was a dramatic night in the lower reaches and a woeful display from Reims goalkeeper Kossi Agassa helped Troyes lift themselves off the foot of the table and drag the away side ever closer to the drop zone after a 4-2 win.

Goals from Corentin Jean and Julien Faussurier put the home two in front with an hour gone before a late scoring spree, including Jean's second and a late effort from Mohamed Yattare added to the excitement.

Nicolas de Preville and Odair Fortes were on target for the visitors, making it 2-1 and then 3-2.

Finally, Ajaccio moved clear of the danger zone as Ronald Zubar's second-half goal earned them a 1-0 victory over Lorient. The former Wolves defender lashed home a powerful shot in the 75th minute.

Beckham ready to rejoin elite

David Beckham says he still has the passion of a 21-year-old as he prepares to return to the Champions League on Wednesday night.

David Beckham could make his return to the UEFA Champions League stage when Paris St Germain host Valencia with a place in the quarter-finals at stake on Wednesday night.

The former England captain is in line to play some part in the second leg of Paris St Germain's last-16 tie with Valencia - almost three years to the day since he was part of a Milan side beaten 4-0 at Manchester United.

And in an interview with Sky Sports Beckham, 37, insisted he still has plenty to contribute at elite level in Europe.

He said: "I might not be able to run as much as I used to when I was 21, but I'll try.

"I can still get around the pitch and still play the balls I play. My passion hasn't changed, my energy hasn't changed, the way i want to win a game hasn't changed, so it's pretty much the same."

Carlo Ancelotti's side lead 2-1 from the away leg in Spain, though a last-minute Adil Rami goal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's injury-time dismissal mean Valencia travel to France with some hope.

Ibrahimovic is banned for the second leg and PSG's next game, and Beckham said: "It makes it a little bit more difficult, but this team's definitely capable of progressing."



Beckham has started one game and made two substitute appearances in his short time in Paris, and Ancelotti said: "He's played well with no problems. He's arrived in the team with his quality, with his character."