Beckham Bids Adieu; Blatter, Coe, Bernstein React

(ATR) David Beckham brings his career to a close with three league titles in his last three seasons.

Four months after joining Paris Saint-German and four days after clinching the League 1 title, he announced his retirement Thursday, saying the time is right.

"I want to thank all my teammates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed," he said.

"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."

After two final matches on May 18 and May 26, he will leave the field as the first Englishman to win titles in four different countries.

Beckham, 38, also led L.A. Galaxy to the MLS Cup in 2011 and 2012 as well as Real Madrid to the La Liga trophy in 2007.

The two-time runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year will be remembered best for his accomplishments within England, where he helped Manchester United to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League in 1999.

"In the week following Sir Alex Ferguson retiring, which came as a bit of a shock, now we have the iconic David Beckham coming out of the game," Football Association chairman David Bernstein said in a statement.

"When you look at his playing and work for England, no one would ever accuse him of being unpatriotic and not giving everything for his country. He is a real loss to the game and I am sure the FA will want to embrace him and to get him closely associated with the organization."

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the British Olympic Association and chief organizer of the 2012 Olympics, also paid tribute to Beckham’s love of country.

"It is impossible to think about the success of the London 2012 Games and not reflect upon the extraordinary commitment made by David Beckham," he said Thursday.

"At every stage of the London 2012 journey - from the bid phase, to planning for the Games, to the torch relay and the unforgettable summer of sport in 2012, David was a constant source of support and inspiration."

Others to weigh in on Beckham’s retirement so far include ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson ("his right foot was not bad"), former Man Utd and England teammate Gary Neville ("he has probably been the most influential player in football during his career") as well as FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"David grew up as a football-loving child & achieved his dreams, and unquestionably inspired millions of boys & girls to try & do the same," tweeted the Swiss.

"Whatever he chooses to do next I'm sure he'll approach with the same dedication & good grace he displayed the last 21 years."

Beckham was noticeably mum Thursday about what exactly his post-retirement plans entail.

"Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love. However, I feel like I'm starting a new adventure and I'm genuinely excited about what lies ahead," he said.

"I'm fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it's my time to give back."

Written by Matthew Grayson.

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