Misses 2010 World Cup through injury
A real low point for Beckham came in March 2010, as he suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon, putting him out for six months and meaning he would miss what would surely be his last chance of playing in a World Cup. The midfielder still joined up with the squad in the tournament in South Africa, watching from the sidelines in a kind of coaching capacity, working as a mediator between the players and the coaching staff. He would not play for the national side again, but can proudly claim to be the country’s most capped outfield player, with 115 appearances and 17 goals in a memorable thirteen years with England.
Wins Ligue 1 title with PSG
Beckham’s last big move came this January as he signed a five year contract with French giants PSG. He rejoined with his former Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti in Paris after his deal with LA Galaxy expired. The move saw Beckham appear in the Champions League again, putting in a strong display in the club’s 2-2 quarter-final draw with Barcelona. It was thought that the former United and England star would carry on playing for one more season, but the 38-year-old announced his retirement from the game after helping the French side to the Ligue 1 title, making it four league titles in four different countries for one of the game’s most famous players.
He has had some critics over the years, but there’s no denying that he has brought success to wherever he has gone, and has always remained a focused and committed professional despite his superstar status off the pitch. He joins fellow legends Paul Scholes and Sir Alex Ferguson in retirement this summer, making it feel like a real end of an era in football.