LONDON - David Beckham agreed to a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, leaving the Real Madrid club at which he enjoyed worldwide popularity but experienced disappointment on the field.
Beckham, the former English captain who also starred for Manchester United, will join the Galaxy after his contract with Real Madrid expires on June 30. Los Angeles opens its season April 8 in Houston.
"I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world's most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own," he said in a statement released Thursday.
The move was announced following the end of talks on extending the 31-year-old English midfielder's contract with the Spanish club. MLS recently changed its rules on salary caps, clearing the way for Beckham to sign a lucrative deal. British news reports put the Galaxy deal at $250 million.
"This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract by a further two seasons," Beckham said in the statement. "After discussing several options with my family and advisers to either stay here at Madrid or join other major British and European clubs, I have decided to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and play in the MLS from August this year."
Beckham has soccer academies in London and Los Angeles. His wife Victoria, a former Spice Girl, was recently photographed househunting in Los Angeles.
"David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally," said Timothy J. Leiweke, president & CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Galaxy. "David is truly the only individual that can build the bridge between soccer in America and the rest of the world."
Beckham joined Real Madrid in 2003 after a hugely successful run with Manchester United, where he won six league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League title. But Beckham did not win a single major trophy with the Spanish club, and his spell coincided with Madrid's worst slump since the early 1950s.
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"Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess." ~ Edna Woolman Chase
i think this was a very smart move for the beckhams... he can't play as well anymore, and since the MLS and its fans aren't as crazy as their european counterparts, he can just kick around a ball, and look to hollywood at the same time.
i'm not a big beckham fan per se, but i hope that this helps boost the popularity of MLS.
I'm not the biggest MLS fan (even though I played soccer for years), but I am a huge Beckham fan for the obvious reason.
I will definitely be making a trip somewhere to see him play. Glad they will be state side more often. We were joking today about making a trip to LA to stalk him. I teasingly told my bf and he said that was fine he would just take Posh.
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"Despite all your best intentions, sometimes, fate wins anyway."
Im not a big beckham fan, never really have been. But my "friend" used to play for LA galaxy before he got traded recently... I keep thinking how fun it would be for my friend to be teammates with him. Oh well, hopefully when they play in our town I will get to meet him when the team goes out after the game. Last time LA came I got to meet landon donovan and kobe jones
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"Deep down you may still be that same great guy I used to know. But it's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you" Rachel Dawes, Batman Begins
i clicked on this specifically to see a pic. so i thought i would add some.
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"i tell you one lesson I learned
If you want to be something in life, You ain't gonna get it unless, You give a little bit of sacrifice, Oohh, sometimes before you smile you got to cry.." -The Roots