After twenty years of excellence, one of soccer’s greats has decided to hang up his boots. David Beckham announced Thursday that he would be retiring from soccer at the end of the season.
“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,” Beckham said in a statement. “I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.” [NYT]
Beckham, 38, was the former England captain and also suited up for United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG, scoring 19 trophies including 10 league titles. As much as he’s known for his accolades on the field, he became a worldwide entity through his successful branding off of it, courtesy of his advisers and adidas.