World

Retirement announced by Beckham

17:04 pm on 17 May 2013

Former England captain David Beckham on Thursday announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the season.

Beckham, 38, who now plays for Paris St Germain, said he feels now is the right time to finish his career, playing at the highest level.

The player earned 115 caps for England and won the Champions League, six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Manchester United.

"I just want people to see me as a hard-working footballer, someone that's passionate about the game, every time I've stepped on a pitch I've given everything that I have," he said after the announcement on Thursday.

"At the end of my career that's how I look back on it and hope people see me."

His final port of call was at Paris St Germain, where he announced that he would donate all his salary to charity.

At the end of his first season, PSG were champions and Beckham became the first Englishman to win domestic titles in four countries.

He helped London's bid to land the 2012 Olympics and was recently named as China's global soccer ambassador to repair the game's reputation there.