Beckham's future uncertain after winning MLS
CARSON, Calif. – The Los Angeles Galaxy is bracing for David Beckham’s departure in the wake of the club’s MLS Cup final triumph on Sunday night.
Beckham helped the Galaxy defeat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 to complete the fifth and final year of his contract and is strongly linked with a move to French club Paris Saint-Germain.
It is possible that Beckham could make an official announcement on his future as early as Monday – with the other option being that he would wait until after the club’s end-of-season tour to Asia.
There was a growing sense Sunday that Beckham would take the opportunity to bow out of Tinseltown as a champion, one perpetuated by the comments of Galaxy coach Bruce Arena.
“It is about whatever he decides to do,” Arena said. “He has three choices: He stays in L.A.; he goes elsewhere; or he doesn’t play again. Whatever he does, I support him 100 percent. He has earned that. If he gets on his horse and rides into the sunset, goes elsewhere, retires, I am all for it. He has earned the right to make whatever decision he wants.”
Retirement at this point is highly unlikely, given that Beckham has admitted his strong desire to play for the Great Britain team at the London Olympics next summer. Paris Saint-Germain is confident they have landed their man, even going as far as to print several thousand replica shirts with Beckham’s name.
[ Related: Trio of stars lead Galaxy to title ]
Beckham refused to give a definitive answer when quizzed Sunday, when he put in a tenacious effort, despite having torn a hamstring during training five days earlier.
“I had a little bit of discomfort during the game,” Beckham said. “But I just had some champagne and beer, and I am not really feeling it anymore.
[Slideshow: Galaxy celebrate winning MLS Cup ]
“At Manchester United I was lucky. I won a trophy almost every year. At Real Madrid it was a coincidence that I won a trophy in my last year. Now I have won a trophy here in my fifth year.
“Now I need to sit back and relax and enjoy it and decide what I want to do. I might talk in past tense sometimes, but it doesn’t mean I am not coming back. I need to decide what is best. It has been an amazing five years.”
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