Emotional Beckham thanks PSG

An emotional David Beckham paid tribute to his ‘special’ time with Paris Saint-Germain after playing the final game of his career against Brest on Saturday.

Beckham set up Blaise Matuidi’s goal either side of two stunning strikes from Zlatan Ibrahimovic before he was withdrawn in the second half to a standing ovation from the Parc des Princes crowd and a centre-circle embrace from his team-mates.

The 38-year-old was tearful as he left the pitch before collecting his Ligue 1 winners’ medal after the full-time whistle, and he confessed he could scarcely imagine a more perfect setting than the French capital in which to call time on his glittering career.

“To finish my career here is special. Paris is the most beautiful place in the world. I’m sad to go,” he told reporters after the match.

“I feel a lot of satisfaction and emotion. Tonight is the end of my career, for sure. I’ve done my time at all the clubs where I’ve been, be it Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy.

“Now, we’ll see what happens. After a 22-year career, I’m going to take a few months off to relax with my family. I said before that, one way or another, I would stay in Paris.

“It’s special for me here and I want to continue to be part of PSG, one way or another.”

Team-mate Mamadou Sakho described the experience of playing alongside the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star as ‘beautiful’ and expressed his admiration for Beckham’s laid-back approach to all aspects of his life.

“I was lucky to be with him here in the capital,” Sakho told Canal +.

“Is there anything more beautiful?

“It was a very emotional exit, especially given the scope of his career. He brought us his joie de vivre, and above all the simplicity of life both on and off the pitch.

“A little anecdote, for example: we organised a barbecue at Sylvain Armand’s house, he was called, and he came to eat sausages with us in Sylvain’s garden!”