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Is David Beckham Retired? What the Former Soccer Star Does Now After Leaving Sports
David Beckham is best known as a pro soccer player, with his illustrious career spanning more than 20 years in the 1990s and early 2000s. However, the footballer retired from the sport in 2013. With the recent release of his Netflix docuseries Beckham, fans are curious about exactly what David is up to today.
At What Age Did David Beckham Retire?
David was 38 years old when he played his final professional soccer game in 2013. At the time, he was playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He announced his retirement in May of 2013, 21 years after he started his professional soccer career.
“I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family,” David said in a statement at the time. “I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams. I owe everything to [my wife] Victoria [Beckham] and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period. 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 100 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.”
Prior to his one season with Paris Saint-Germain, David played professional soccer for various clubs all over the world. His career began with Manchester United in 1992 when he was still a teenager. He then played with Real Madrid in Spain from 2003 until 2007 before making his Major League Soccer debut in the United States with the L.A. Galaxy. In 2009 and 2010, he made a loan move to AC Milan in Italy for two seasons.
Does David Beckham Own A Soccer Team?
David was not able to stray from the field of soccer for long. He announced his plans to create a new MLS team in the Miami, Florida in 2014. Inter Miami was officially launched in 2018, with the team’s first game taking place in 2020. Another legendary soccer star, Lionel Messi, joined the team in 2023, adding to its notoriety. Additionally, David has a 10 percent stake in the Salford City club.
What Else Is David Beckham Doing Now?
Being the president and owner of a Major League Soccer team is probably enough to keep David busy, but he also has some other ventures on his resume. In 2022, David served as the ambassador to Qatar when the country hosted the FIFA World Cup. It was also announced that he had signed a 10-year, multi-million-dollar deal to represent the country. Although the decision received backlash due to various human rights issues in Qatar, David has defended the move.
“I do a lot of research into partners that I’m going into business with,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “And I wanted to be involved in another World Cup. I like to see the game grow and that means going into territories it hasn’t been before. I knew there’d be questions, I knew there was going to be criticism, but I’ve always been a believer that football is such a powerful tool.”
Additionally, David heads his own charity with his wife, Victoria, called the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust. The charity provides wheelchairs to children. David is an ambassador for UNICEF, as well, and has publicly donated to various charities over the years.
Of course, David also often lands brand partnerships with high-profile companies like Adidas, Breitling, H&M and more. In 2023, it was rumored that he would be creating his own alcohol brand after he decided to part ways with Haig Whisky following a nine-year partnership, as well.
