The playing career which epitomised more than any other the elevation of the footballer into the global corporate brand has ended – if not the curse of celebrity as the touchstone which warps judgement of achievement in sport today.
Like it or not, David Beckham is not disappearing anywhere soon.
His triumph has not been to transcend the game – as has been said so glibly so often – but to transform a reasonable amount of natural-born talent into a mother lode of wealth and fame.
For this, as one of his sternest critics down the years, I have nothing but admiration.
It is by no means easy to make the commercial product of your abilities so much greater than the sum of the individual parts.
This, in Beckham’s case, has required relentless application to the development of his quantified skills and endless dedication to the marketing of himself as one of the most lucrative walking hoardings in the world of advertising and marketing.
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Waving goodbye: David Beckham will retire from football after 20 years at the top Out on a high: Beckham is retiring after helping Carlo Ancelotti's PSG win the French title for the first time in 19 years, which he celebrated emphatically with team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) Fond farewell: Beckham soaked up the applause in Paris this week during PSG's open-top bus title parade BECKHAM'S CAREER BY NUMBERSManchester United - 394 games, 85 goals
Preston North End (loan) - 5 games 2 goals
Real Madrid - 115 games 20 goals
LA Galaxy - 118 games 20 goals
AC Milan - 33 games goals 2
PSG - 11 games 0 goals
This was made possible by another of his successes, that of marrying a pop icon. Courtesy of the tryst with Posh Spice, Goldenballs was born of the beautiful game’s golden couple.
Beckham grew into a very good footballer, if not the truly great one he has been mistakenly acclaimed as being.
But that perfectly decent standing in the game is as nothing compared with the status he has achieved in modern society with its obsession with the cult of celebrity.
All smiles: Moments after announcing his retirement, Beckham - pictured today - greeted PSG staff as he left the club's Camps of Loges training ground (above and below)On his way: Beckham has just two games left for PSG before bowing out
BECKHAM'S TROPHY CABINET
Manchester UnitedPremier League – 1996, 1997, 1999, 200, 2001, 2003Champions League – 1999FA Cup - 1996, 1999Community Shield – 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997Intercontinental Cup – 1999FA Youth Cup – 1992
Real MadridLa Liga - 2007Spanish Super Cup – 2003
LA GalaxyMLS Cup – 2011, 2012
Paris Saint-GermainLigue 1 - 2013
The prowess of Beckham the footballer has been exhaustively documented. In shortest précis form it comes down to prime years at Manchester United, plus intermittent performances for England highlighted by the almost single-handed defeat of Greece which catapulted his country from impeding World Cup qualifying elimination into the 2002 Finals.
After Old Trafford, Beckham continue to attach himself to glory via bit-part appearances with Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, interspersed by a wealth-building brand-expanding sojourn in virtual pub football with Los Angeles Galaxy.
After that game against Greece, also at Old Trafford, Beckham went into decline with England, turning up injured or overweight for major tournaments and failing to win a single prize as captain.
Bend it like Beckham: Arguably his finest moment in an England shirt, captain Beckham scored this priceless last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to send England to the 2002 World CupNational hero: Beckham was adored by England and rightly celebrated after his superb display in October 2001
VIDEO: Beckham's greatest goals
Family man: Beckham, won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement award in 2010 and thanked his family for their support TRIBUTES TO BECKHAM
David Cameron:Best wishes as David #BeckhamRetires His magical free kicks for @MUFC and England will live long in the memory of all football fansPhil Neville:'David Beckham-what an unbelievable career-4 titles in 4 countries over 100 caps for Eng and the best ambassador this country’s has had!Gary Lineker:David Beckham has retired. A wonderful player, global superstar and a magnificent ambassador for England and football.
While it may be somewhat unkind to categorise a playing lifetime so abruptly, he used every game he played - and even all those brief appearances as a substitute which enabled him to set a record number of England caps as an outfield player - to rack up both his market value and his bank accounts.
Did any of his team-mates ever do anything without Beckham appearing in the photograph? It has been a quite brilliant exercise in self-promotion. That it has been pulled off by a slow, one-footed player whose jump out of a Brazilian tackle cost his country the chance of winning one World Cup is a kind of genius.
Be it his, his wife Victoria’s or their agents. It is also a tribute to all the work he put into getting the optimum out of that one, right, foot.
Pride of Britain: Beckham won the MLS title twice during his time at Los Angeles GalaxyKing of Spain: Beckham left Real Madrid as a champion in 2007, while he impressed during his time at Milan (R) Controversy: David Beckham was infamously sent off against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup in Saint-Etienne
Headlines: Frustrated Beckham kicked out at Diego Simeone, leading to his dismissal and sparking a national frenzy after England's exit - this was the front page of the Daily Mail, the following morning (right)
Revenge: Beckham put four years of personal anguish behind him as his penalty sunk Argentina at the Sapporo during the group stage at the 2002 World Cup The journey begins: Beckham (kneeling, far front left) and his Ridgeway Rovers team
Old school: Beckham (again, kneeling far left), pictured with his Waltham Forest District side, aged 14 in 1989
