Beckham to leave Real Madrid for LA Galaxy

[TGLucario]

LONDON (AP) - 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. Real Madrid has had six different coaches and three club presidents during Beckham's stay, but the club has made a fortune - in part because of the star's position as a cultural icon for soccer fans and non-fans alike, including men, women and children of different ethnic and racial groups.


His marketability was emphasized by the hit movie "Bend It Like Beckham," even as his skills deteriorated with age.
Beckham's contract included a clause in which half his image rights would go to Real Madrid. That helped earn the club millions, allowing the Spanish team to overtake Manchester United as the biggest earner in world soccer.
Beckham led England to the quarterfinals of the World Cup last summer, scoring from a free kick in the second round to beat Ecuador 1-0. But he was taken off the field early in the second half against Portugal with ankle and Achilles tendon injuries, and then watched as his team was eliminated in a penalty shootout. A day after the game, Beckham stepped down as captain of the team - a post he had held for 58 of his 94 international appearances. Then, on Aug. 11, England coach Steve McClaren dropped Beckham from the team altogether, signaling the end of his international career.

well....i hope he does well in america!

[stubacca68]

good look to him, posh will be happy though, living in the usa!!!

[TGLucario]

yes, & she's got New York to go to & LA

[Saurgrist]

I figured he'd be coming over here... too bad he's about washed up

[stubacca68]

Originally Posted by Saurgrist

I figured he'd be coming over here... too bad he's about washed up

like it

[Setarime]

he will make more money in the U.S. than he would have done if he had stayed at Madrid, wonder how long it will take before the Americans are fed up of his stick insect aka Victoria

[Saurgrist]

Originally Posted by Haggis Basher

he will make more money in the U.S. than he would have done if he had stayed at Madrid, wonder how long it will take before the Americans are fed up of his stick insect aka Victoria

We went through the Spice Girls era... so basically, we already are fed up with her ;)

[Phil]

$1 million a week and in an interview yesterday he said he was not in it for the money, i as sorry but posh has told him she wants to live there as her new best friends are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Personally cant stand the guy or his missus

[stubacca68]

according to the sun today his money breaks down like this.

£128m over 5 years
£25.6M per year
£2.1m a month
£500K a week
£70k a day
£3k an hour
£50 a minute
80p a second

Now i would love to earn a bit of that! cant blame the guy for going to that kind of cash

[Saurgrist]

Originally Posted by Phil

$1 million a week and in an interview yesterday he said he was not in it for the money, i as sorry but posh has told him she wants to live there as her new best friends are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Personally cant stand the guy or his missus

It's definitely all about the money. I think there will be a lot of stars over there coming over here when their careers are near the end, because they will get paid a ton of money as the MLS wants to get more popular over here. I don't think it really ever will, but I guess they can try. They also will be much better over here because a lot of our players aren't as good, so it seems like a good idea to raise their popularity even more...

I agree though, we had enough of the Spice Girl here, and we're gonna get even more.