93 and Adios!

Last updated : 13 January 2007 By Gary Moss

David Beckham will not only be leaving La Liga this summer, but he can also say goodbye to his chances of playing for England again after agreeing to join Los Angeles Galaxy.

England...93 caps


Becks, 31, stranded on 93 caps, has made a life changing decision to ‘up sticks' and walk away from European football, in a choice that signals the end of his glittering international career.


Surplus to requirements at Real Madrid under new boss Fabio Cappello, no-one blames Beckham for taking his football elsewhere but deep down many England fans were hoping for his return to the Premiership where he could re-capture his form, force his way back into McClaren's plans, and get his well deserved 100th England cap.


Instead, he has chosen to move to the glamour of LA where granted he will be earning just under £500,000 a week, in the biggest contract deal in football and team sport history, but is he really doing himself and his fans any justice?


Just six months ago the football superstar as we know was leading his country in the World Cup, Germany.


Since then he has been dropped by new boss Steve McClaren and

Madrid...Surplus to requirements
featured in only a handful of games for the Spanish giants. For a man of Beckham's success and fortune these changes have probably hit him hard, but I'm afraid his move to America is just another step down in his career.


With the standard of soccer so distinctively average in the US, it is fair to say his best days are over, and at only thirty-one it is a great shame.


He has been branded a one kick man in recent times but what a kick that can be. I think I speak for a lot of England fans when I say David Beckham has left his footballing career with so much more to give.


In truth, his career has been one downward spiral since his bust-up with Manchester United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.


United...Glory Days
Beckham broke into the United side, another one of the club's many hot young talents, but he was the cream of the crop. He was Ferguson's ‘golden boy'. He first made a real name for himself on the opening day of the 96/97 season when he scored past Wimbledon's Neil Sullivan from inside his own half. He went onto to win PFA Young Player of the year that season as he pronounced himself as England's brightest talent.


From then on, Beckham went from strength to strength, he bounced back from his red card in France 98' to lead his country to other major tournaments. He was part of United's 99' treble winning side as well as notching countless other accolades while with the Red Devils.


He was then handed the country armband under Sven Goran Eriksson. His ninetieth minute free-kick against Greece took us to Japan and Korea, before his crucial penalty helped us to sink Argentina in the group stages.

Then came his bust-up with Sir Alex. Beckham went running to the press over his gashed eyebrow and as ruthless as always, Ferguson flogged Beckham to Madrid for £25 million.


In Spain, he scored only a fraction of the goals he got in England and with it, has no major trophies to show for his time in La Liga. Into his fourth season now, Beckham is desperate to land some silverware before he makes his switch to America.


Surplus to requirements at Madrid and only really valuable to the club for selling shirts, Beckham finds himself in an all time low in terms of his football.


He goes to Los Angeles in August in a bid to promote soccer, and we wish him luck for I am sure the decision is right for him as a man and his family, but as a passionate England fan myself, I refuse to believe this is right decision for David Beckham, the footballer.

Becks and family...New challenge


Forever Remembered, England Captain, David Beckham.