Beckham to bid farewell to Galaxy

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David Beckham will play his last game for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS Cup next month.

Beckham and the Galaxy announced the English midfielder's decision on Monday, a day after the defending MLS champion advanced to its second straight league final. Los Angeles faces Houston for the MLS title on Dec 1.

The 37-year-old Beckham isn't retiring, but the superstar gave no hint about his next move.

"I've had an incredibly special time playing for the L.A. Galaxy," Beckham said in a statement. "However, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career. I don't see this as the end of my relationship with the league, as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future."

Beckham has played in Los Angeles for six seasons since his groundbreaking move from Real Madrid, reaching three league finals and winning the MLS title last year during his best stateside campaign.

He agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Galaxy in January after playing out his initial five-year deal, turning down potential moves to wealthy Paris Saint-Germain and other clubs -including at least one Premiership team, according to Beckham.

Beckham hadn't given any overt indications he was planning to leave the Galaxy after this season with a year left on his deal. Last week, the longtime England captain pointedly denied rumors linking him to a short-term stint in Australia.

Beckham has been the star player for MLS' highest-profile club during his tenure, which began with a handful of rocky seasons before the Galaxy became a power under coach Bruce Arenain in recent years. As Beckham indicated in his media release, his MLS contract includes the option to purchase a league franchise when his playing career ends, and Beckham has long been keen on an ownership move.

Beckham's announcement indicated the MLS Cup will be his final "competitive" match with the Galaxy, which means he might participate in lucrative overseas friendlies often played by the Galaxy in recent years. But Los Angeles has no overseas exhibitions currently scheduled, so the championship game might be his final bow.

"Seldom does an athlete redefine a sport," said Tim Leiweke, president of Galaxy owner AEG. "David not only took our franchise to another level, but he took our sport to another level. It has been an honor and privilege to be a part of his world, and more importantly, to have him be a part of ours."

Beckham has been among MLS' top players when healthy throughout his contract, and the MLS has grown exponentially during Beckham's tenure as the league's face, expanding to 19 North American teams with record attendance and much-improved broadcast deals. The Galaxy reached the most lucrative television deal in MLS history last year with Time Warner Cable Sports.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.