Beckham announces his retirement

The midfielder’s only start for capital outfit came in the UEFA Champions League first leg of the last-eight clash against Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.

His career began at Manchester United and has also included spells at Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and Milan.

He was part of United’s ‘golden generation’ who won six Premier League titles in eight years, two FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League.

Beckham is the latest member of that team to announce his retirement, following shortly after Paul Scholes’ decision to hang up his boots.

He came to prominence when he beat Wimbledon’s Neil Sullivan from the half-way line in 1996 and his career has blossomed ever since.

There were times where he was not the iconic hero that he is today. His dismissal against Argentina at World Cup 1998 for a petulant kick on Diego Simeone saw him receive criticism and abuse but his performances on the pitch soon turned those opinions around.

His performance for England against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001 is widely regarded as one of his best, his last minute free-kick curling over the wall and into the top corner to take England to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan in 2002.

After a breakdown in his relationship with Alex Ferguson he was sold to Real Madrid, where he won La Liga title under the guidance of Fabio Capello, whom he later worked under as a coach for England’s 2012 World Cup campaign when the Italian took charge.