David Beckham is widely recognized for his 20-year professional soccer career in the 1990s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, the football player called it quits in 2013. Fans are naturally interested in David’s current activities following the premiere of his Netflix documentary series Beckham.
How Old Was David Beckham When He Retired?
In 2013, at the age of 38, David played his last game in the professional soccer league. He was a member of the Paris Saint-Germain team at the time. He announced his retirement in May of 2013, 21 years after he started his professional soccer career.
“I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family,” David said in a statement at the time. “I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams. I owe everything to [my wife] Victoria [Beckham] and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period. 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, I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”
David played professional soccer for several years before spending a single season with Paris Saint-Germain. In 1992, as a young man, he began his professional career with Manchester United. Before making his MLS debut with the L.A. Galaxy in 2008, he spent the years 2003–2007 with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. He went on loan to AC Milan in Italy for two years, from 2009 to 2010.
Why did David Beckham Retire?
David explained his decision to retire from soccer in his new documentary Beckham.
He said one of the primary reasons he stopped playing football was because of the toll it had on his body.
“I never thought about retirement, I wanted to play until I literally couldn’t walk anymore,” he said.
To elaborate, David said, “I think I loved the game more than anyone has ever loved the game.” That’s how I see it, anyhow. Even though I know better, I still feel like I appreciated the game more than everybody else. However, I didn’t feel the same. Something was awry with my physique. I’d wake up after games and just feel like I’d been pummeled.
“I felt every time that I was getting out of bed, I was aching, I was hurting. I’d roll out of bed in the mornings because I just was in so much pain. So coming to that decision, it was actually a really tough one.”
Since retiring David hasn’t kept away from the sport, and in 2014 he revealed his ambitions to build a new Major League Soccer franchise in Miami, which he is still the president and co-owner of today.
Where is David Beckham Now?
David has much to keep him occupied as president and owner of a Major League Soccer team, but he has also dabbled in other endeavors.
David represented the United States as its ambassador to Qatar in 2022, the year that the country hosted the FIFA World Cup. His signing of a 10-year, multimillion-dollar contract to represent the country was also revealed. David has stood by the choice despite criticism about human rights violations in Qatar.
“I do a lot of research into partners that I’m going into business with,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “And I wanted to be involved in another World Cup. I like to see the game grow and that means going into territories it hasn’t been before. I knew there’d be questions, I knew there was going to be criticism, but I’ve always been a believer that football is such a powerful tool.”
David and Victoria also run their own charity, the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust, which they founded. Kids in need of wheelchairs are helped by the organization. David has been an outspoken supporter of several causes throughout the years, including serving as an ambassador for UNICEF.
With the below link, you may read about the relationships of other celebrities:
