The
38-year-old last week won the Ligue 1 title with current club Paris
Saint-Germain to add to the Premier League, La Liga and MLS winners' medals he
claimed with Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy. As such, he became
the first Englishman to win league championships in four different countries.
"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,'" Beckham
said in a statement released on Thursday.
"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
115 caps for England, surpassing World Cup-winning skipper Bobby Moore and
setting a new record for an outfield player. He captained his country at two
World Cups and a European Championship while wearing the armband between 2000
and 2006.
"To this
day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country," Beckham
said. "I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only
following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan
that cared passionately about their country.
"I'm
honoured to represent England both on and off the pitch... I want to thank all
my team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I
also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength
to succeed."
Credits to espnfc.com
