ESPN: David Beckham Retiring end of season

[Secueritae]

David Beckham is retiring from soccer, ending a career in which he became a global superstar who transcended the sport

The 38-year-old Beckham, who recently won a league title in a fourth country with Paris Saint-Germain, said Thursday he will retire at the end of the season.

"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," the former England captain said in a statement.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/14498 ... on?cc=5901

The end of an era, definitely an global Iconic figure in the late 90's and early 2000's,

[Next Coming]

All these announcements convince me Giggs will survive us all.

[LittleOzzy]

Not the greatest football player in the world, but easily the most famous in my opinion.

[BUCKnation]

Not the greatest football player in the world, but easily the most famous in my opinion.

Definitely.

Ive been planning on framing my Beckham England kit for awhile now, I think this news will force me to do so.

[Massimo]

highly overrated player.

[IronChef]

^^Him signing at 14

Wasn't a world class player, but he was great at what he did. Always played his heart out for England, so I have a lot of respect for him

[the_troof]

http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/david-be ... slideshow/

David Beckham over the years

[Slava]

He's actually underrated as a player since everyone thinks of him as a shirt pusher. He was at times playing 1 vs 11 for England in the early 00s. Likely his best game:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2wpH09cOU4[/youtube]

[Point forward]

George Best said sth like: "Beckham cannot use his left foot, cannot tackle, cannot head and hardly scores. But otherwise, he is alright." But Becks is not the best, but surely one of the most iconic soccer players of all time. His right foot was a thing of beauty, and his work ethic was highly underrated. You cannot play 10 years for SAF w/o giving it all. SAF himself said that Becks was always humble and grounded, but from a soccer POV, his downfall was his wife. After Posh, he had a hard time to focus on soccer. Still, great player and great icon.

[SVictor]

He's been retired since he left Real Madrid. He was a really useful player if used in the right gameplan. Put him in a high paced counter-attacking system feeding the ball to fast strikers and he will shine.

He had limted action on the pitch, but the things he could do, he was the best at them. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in sports is David Beckham taking a free kick.

Nice guy, nice player, universal ICON for the ages.

[Massimo]

He's actually underrated as a player since everyone thinks of him as a shirt pusher. He was at times playing 1 vs 11 for England in the early 00s. Likely his best game:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2wpH09cOU4[/youtube]

How come he is underrated? Please tell us bro.

[Ted Lasso]

He's actually underrated as a player since everyone thinks of him as a shirt pusher. He was at times playing 1 vs 11 for England in the early 00s. Likely his best game:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2wpH09cOU4[/youtube]

How come he is underrated? Please tell us bro.

He just tried to tell you. His fame got ahead of his football.

As a footballer, he was incredibly hardworking and tactically astute. He was a wonderful passer and obviously an elite crosser of the ball. He deserved to play for Manchester United. He deserved to play for Real Madrid. At the height of his value and reputation, he cost 40 million euros. I'm not sure anyone would ever confuse his best for Messi's, Ronaldo's, or Zidane's. So, as a footballer, he really wasn't overrated.

[treiz]

He's actually underrated as a player since everyone thinks of him as a shirt pusher. He was at times playing 1 vs 11 for England in the early 00s. Likely his best game:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2wpH09cOU4[/youtube]

One of the best moments of my footballing life, I'll forever remember him for this. Still sad day to see him go, one of my favourite players ever and people just want to assume that his fame was the only reason why he would play games. I think Chandler Bing pretty much summed it up pretty nicely, he was never compared to the likes of Zidane, Ronaldinho etc during their prime and he was the consumate professional who worked hard as well as show great football IQ.

His passing is still amazing at this point, his fitness is incredible, awareness both attacking and defensive was great. He was the ultimate team player, I'm sad that he's retiring and I really hope that this isn't the last time we see him involved with football, it would never happen but I would love to see him coach somewhere perhaps the England team. But more likely he'll become an ambassador to English football

[Slava]

I always thought he'd have had a great 2nd half to his career had he stayed at United and Ferguson would have invariably pushed him into a more central role like he did with Giggs. He could have been a very good deep lying playmaker if he attempted that.

[Massimo]

He just tried to tell you. His fame got ahead of his football.
As a footballer, he was incredibly hardworking and tactically astute. He was a wonderful passer and obviously an elite crosser of the ball. He deserved to play for Manchester United. He deserved to play for Real Madrid. At the height of his value and reputation, he cost 40 million euros. I'm not sure anyone would ever confuse his best for Messi's, Ronaldo's, or Zidane's. So, as a footballer, he really wasn't overrated.

He was hardworking, it is right but not a big deal. We are not looking for middle class worker who is very hardworking to feed his kids, we are looking for a football player. Wonderful crosser yes but passer?? There is no way in the world he deserved to be offered 40 million euros. Dude is just handsome and English PRs used it very well. His football was nothing special. Few freekicks, work ethics, hardworking, that's about it. His 40 million=Andy Carroll 35 million. Same thing. Both well overrated and overpriced.

[Slava]

PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 1996–97
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year (1): 1996–97
England Player of the Year: 2003
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1): 1998–99
UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year (1): 1998–99
UEFA Team of the Year#Team of the Year: 2001,2003
Real Madrid Player of the Year (1): 2005–2006
PFA Team of the Year (4): 1996–97,1997–98,1998–99,1999–2000
FIFA 100

Has been England’s best regular World Cup player since England last won it in 1966 – having created the most chances.
Third in the Premier League's all time time assist provider chart, with 152 assists in 265 appearances.
First England player to score at three World Cups
Has the joint-second most goal assists in European Championship finals history

Wake me up when Carroll makes atleast one of those lists.

[Massimo]

PR bro PR.

[treiz]

PR bro PR.

Oh Massimo, never ceases to amaze me

[Mirjalovic]

The best passer in the football. I don't talk about vision, but passing alone, kind of beauty, as if the ball is a RC car, just wonderful.

MU, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy & Milan training staffs also praise him for the work ethics, consistently be the best conditioning player on that teams.

glad watched Beckham in his prime, even in twilight years at Milan or PSG.

[Baphomet]

Did Massimo really compare Beckham's transfer to Andy **** Carroll?

Andy Carroll is a player who played well for half a season and was the benaficiary of Kenny Dalglish's insane transfer regimen, completely overpaying for mediocre English players, paying even more than the already inflated value of English talent in the EPL. Nobody in the world except old saggy face Dalglish himself didn't anticipate Carroll being a total flop. David Beckham on the other hand was a core part of a treble winning squad, a squad that arguably ranks up there with the likes of that unstoppable 90s Ajax unit and late 00s Barca.

Beckham was a masterful passer of the ball, a fantastic FK striker and had a near unmatched work ethic. Not only that, but he'll be remembered as a great ambassador of the game. I'd argue that his transfer fee was maybe a smidge high, but at least it was justifiable.

I swear you say the most implausibly contrarian **** to get a rise out of people, Massimo.