These are maybe-probably the last photos of David Beckham playing professional soccer/football ever. On Saturday, David played his last game (probably) with Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, while his entire family watched from the stands. I keep saying “maybe” because PSG has one more game left in the season, but it’s an away-game and the coach says Beckham probably isn’t going to play that game. So this was definitely his last home game, and probably his last professional game of his career. David was understandably emotional. Would you like to see his man-cry? It was really sweet.
PSG was up 3-1 over Brest and it was the 81st minute of the game when the coach substituted Beckham out of the game. Apparently, everything came to a halt as all of Beckham’s teammates stopped to clap for him and embrace him, and all of the fans rose to their feet to chant “Beckham” and “Merci David”. Beckham told fans after the game:
“I want to say thank you to everybody in Paris. To my teammates, to the staff, to the fans. It’s been very special to finish my career here. It could not have been any more special.”
Beckham announced on Thursday that he would retire at the end of the season, with PSG having already secured the French league title.
“I just feel that it’s the right time. I feel that I’ve achieved everything that I could in my career. I wanted to go out as a champion,” Beckham said. “I’ve finished my career in a team that has treated me like I’ve been here for 10 years.
“After 22 years of playing football I’m going to take a few months to enjoy time with my family,” Beckham said, before adding that he still wants to stay involved with PSG. “It’s been a very special place for me.”
After blowing a kiss to wife Victoria and his children in the stands as he walked off, there was time for one more hug – this one a bit longer from Ancelotti – before he sat down on the bench.
PSG won the league title last weekend, making Beckham the first English player to win the championship in four different countries after title success with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Saturday’s match was Beckham’s 14th since joining PSG, and his fifth start.
What an incredible career he’s had. I mean that. Beckham has completely changed the sport, changed the profile of the sport, and changed how the media talks about the sport. Beckham was and is a game-changer, an iconoclast, an original who set his own path. There will be athletes following Beckham’s path for decades to come.
Oh, and look – little Harper got emotional too!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I love how even Victoria looks emotional! What a fantastic man, I really do love him.
over at Dlisted there are more pics of Victoria that show she was definitely crying
I’ll have to check them out. I really do love them as a family and I’m glad she showed some emotion so people can stop thinking she’s a robot!
Aww, bless him. He’s had one hell of a career (& a life!). I know it’s hard to leave that, but it has to feel good to realize how successful you’ve been.
I wish David & his beautiful family all the best! =D
Great Job, Beckham!
Harper looks like she’s yawning, which amuses me :).
Congrats to Beckham on a great career. My British husband has been a huge fan of his ever since he started playing football, and he said something that struck me as true: it’s kind of sad for Beckham’s fans how all of his fame stuff overshadowed his earlier career. Because he was truly a groundbreaking player.
But I guess the fame gig will come in handy now that playing’s over :).
Beckham 1999 in ManU was just perfekt outside and on the field.
He has had a great career, but icon?? Don’t think so. Pele, Maradonna, Cantona, Zidane Zidane are icons. Becks is more David Ginola.
In terms of talent, no, but in terms of cultural impact, very much so. There are a lot of reasons but I think he should get a lot of credit for bringing attention to football in the US and to the mainstream media in general.
Ex. when he came to our country for a one-off game with our national team several years ago, everyone who went there loved the sport but 99% went there just to see Beckham.
Yes I do think he’s as money-hungry as the next person (hence the lucrative short-term play time with other clubs) but it was always a mutually beneficial partnership: he gets money, they get lots of attention for him being there.
He’s definitely an icon over here, LAK. The US gets virtually no European soccer coverage other than Fox Soccer, and now NBC has bought the premiership coverage from them.
My husband is going to be distraught when he finds out he can’t just tune in and watch a match any more. Actually, he *is* distraught; I’ll probably get straight up crying when next season starts.
And Beckham can man-cry any time he wants. He had a great career and had a huge impact on soccer’s visibility.
I don’t know, I’d say he’s been an icon for many boys my age (21) and younger. I think the line in Love Actually sums it up best : ‘We have David Beckham’s right foot. And David Beckham’s left foot, come to think of it’. He is an icon and people look up to him and he inspires legions of kids.
As a huge football fan I completely understand where you’re coming from. The average person may know about Zidane’s infamous headbutt, if that. While “icon” is a a powerful word which has been watered down to describe anyone who wears decent clothes or is over the age of 35, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it to describe Beckham. You can’t deny his impact across all demographics and cultures even though Pele may seem more “legit.” I can’t stand Madonna, there have been far better singers and dancers, but she is a bloody icon whether I like it or not.
Some of his teammates even dyed their hair red, white and blue in his honor!
Not gonna lie. That totally made me tear up. I’m glad he’s ending it on a high note with no regrets.
….not really. He raised the profile of football in the states, but outside of america, football has a thriving life beyond beckham.
Quite true..
Man-cry? Deliver me…
I feel so lucky to have seen him play so many times with the LA Galaxy. His wife and kids were there for all of the home games. They are truly a beautiful and loving family.
Football didn’t need it’s profile raised in most of the rest of the world – it’s the biggest sport in the world and has been for a long time! He is an amazing player though.
whatevs. for me, he is one gloriously gorgeous hunk of man-candy.