David Beckham bid an emotional farewell to professional football as he played his last home match in Paris on Saturday. David couldn't contain his tears as he captained Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-1 victory over Brest, and to the top of the league, at Paris's Parc des Princes. Although David is expected to play the season's last game against Lorient on Sunday, 24 May, emotions ran high at the victorious match. "Tonight was a nice way to kind of go out," said David, 38, after the game was over. "In front of my own fans and in front of the capacity of the crowd that were excited because obviously we've won the league. "The celebrations have been incredible," he continued. "The emotions started kicking in about 20 minutes before and it was hard to run, let alone kick a ball."
"It was an emotional night," said David, who was held aloft by his team mates. "To see the reaction of the players, to see the reaction of the fans when I came off was special."
"I feel good," David concluded. "Physically I feel good, but I know it's the right time. "From the crowd David's wife, Victoria Beckham, parents Sandra and Ted Beckham, sister Joanne and four children, Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 10, Cruz, 8, and Harper, 1, cheered as David's glittering career came to an end.
Romeo, Cruz and Harper each sported cute personalised shirts, bearing the word 'Daddy' on the back as David himself wore boots embossed with each of his children's names.
As Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz joined their tearful father on the pitch, David waved to the crowds and hugged each of his team mates, before lifting the Lique 1 trophy to a roar of applause.
"Technically he was one of the best players in the world," said Paris Saint-Germain manager Carlo Ancelotti. "His career was fantastic, he played for some of the best clubs in the world," he added of the London-born star he said was "very, very humble."
David announced his plans to retire from football last week. The former Manchester United player, who is currently on a five-month deal with French team Paris Saint-Germain, said it was time to end his career on a high.
"I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level," said David in a statement. "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 one hundred 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. "Since signing forms with Manchester United on his 14th birthday, David has become one of the most celebrated and recognised sportsman of his generation. David's stellar career has seen him captain England more than 100 times and play with four international football teams. "At school whenever the teachers asked, 'What do you want to do when you're older?' I'd say, 'I want to be a footballer,'" he recalls."
“And they'd say, 'No, what do you really want to do, for a job?' But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do."