- Title: USA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: David Beckham: reached all goals with MLS, future uncertain
- Date: 20th November 2012
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 20, 2012) (REUTERS) DAVID BECKHAM SPEAKING WITH REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID BECKHAM SAYING: "One of the reasons why I'm stopping playing here is because I've achieved everything that I've wanted to achieve as a player and outside of the game. Winning the championship last year was one of the last things I wanted to achieve with Galaxy as a club. I've been proud to have been a part of the MLS and the progression of the MLS for the last six years. Off the field I've seen franchises come into the league, I've seen stadiums built, solely for soccer and I've seen the development of this game and young players coming through and great players from Europe coming over to this country. So yeah I've achieved everything that I could achieve here as a player and as an ambassador. My commitment to the MLS was a long term one and still is a long term one, it doesn't matter whether I'm playing here or not. I continue to be an ambassador I continue to try and grow this sport here in his country because it's something that when I moved here I believed in and I still believe even more so now." BECKHAM LISTENING TO REPORTER'S QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID BECKHAM SAYING: "Yeah retirement is something that I'm not thinking about yet. I still feel that I have something left in me. I still feel that I'd like to take on another challenge. What that will be yet I don't know, I honestly don't know. Right now, my focus is solely on the final in ten days, then we have the tour with the Galaxy and then after that I will sit down with my family. I have a number of exciting opportunities on the table so I'll make the decision once I've discussed it with them." BECKHAM SPEAKING WITH REPORTER
- Embargoed: 5th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5CA7DAJMWAE41MC17Z2CLRDP2
- Story Text: A day after announcing his last game with the L.A. Galaxy, David Beckham tells reporters he's achieved all the goals he set out with Major League Soccer and now looks to future opportunities both on and off the field.
Former England captain David Beckham, hailed as a success for soccer in the United States, will say his farewell to LA Galaxy in next month's MLS Cup final with one more mission yet to accomplish.
It was only in January that Beckham signed a new deal with the Galaxy but his departure, announced on Monday, paves the way for him to enjoy a last hurrah elsewhere while the Galaxy could take the chance to look for a new big name in his place.
After five-and-a-half seasons in Los Angeles, where Beckham moved from Real Madrid in 2007, the midfielder insists he feels ready for "one more challenge" before he hangs up his boots. On Tuesday (November 20) he spoke with reporters following the team's regular daily practice.
"One of the reasons why I'm stopping playing here is because I've achieved everything that I've wanted to achieve as a player and outside of the game. Winning the championship last year was one of the last things I wanted to achieve with Galaxy as a club. I've been proud to have been a part of the MLS and the progression of the MLS for the last six years," said Beckham.
The 37-year-old Beckham has struggled with injuries of late, missing almost two months of action before this month's play-offs, and it is hard to imagine him being recruited by a top European team.
A year ago he was strongly linked to French club Paris St Germain but in the past 12 months not only has Beckham's ability to deal with the aches and strains of the game declined but PSG have moved on with a series of high profile signings
The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) said last week that they had made an approach for Beckham, looking to bring him into the A-League. While Beckham contends his playing days are far from over, he was not readily forthcoming with any future plans on Tuesday, preferring to take a wait and see stance. "Yeah retirement is something that I'm not thinking about yet. I still feel that I have something left in me. I still feel that I'd like to take on another challenge. What that will be yet I don't know, I honestly don't know. Right now, my focus is solely on the final in ten days, then we have the tour with the Galaxy and then after that I will sit down with my family. I have a number of exciting opportunities on the table so I'll make the decision once I've discussed it with them."
But Beckham has also made clear that he intends to continue his involvement in MLS beyond his playing days and to use his option to have an ownership role in a future new franchise.
With his children having spent the last five-and-a-half years growing up in the States, it would not be an outlandish shock if he eventually switched to another MLS team, and the New York Red Bulls have been rumored as a possible destination.
Although A-League clubs are the only ones to have publicly made their interest known there will no doubt be several suitors for a player who still manages to generate plenty of interest. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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