Former England captain Beckham to retire from football
London - Former England captain David Beckham announced on Thursday he is to retire from football at the end of the season.
The 38-year-old, who joined Paris Saint-German this year, said he had rejected the offer of a contract extension made by the French club.
"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 BBC quoted Beckham as saying.
"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. 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 said.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy midfielder won more than 100 caps for England.
Beckham's last mark on football was helping PSG win the French league title for the first time in 19 years.//DPA
