Bending time backward on Beckham

David Beckham's career started in 1991 as a Manchester United trainee and ended in 2013 with Paris St-Germain and a French Ligue 1 title. There were other big wins and titles in between.

From former Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and AC Milan player, David Beckham can now just say “former player”. Beckham, 38, has decided that he will leave professional football at the end Show more

1991 Manchester United take Beckham on as a trainee in 1991. Makes his debut in 1992 and is part of the side that wins the FA Youth Cup, before signing a professional contract in 1993.

1996 Helps United to Premier League and FA Cup double. Scores goal of the season on opening day at Wimbledon, lobbing Neil Sullivan from the halfway line. Makes his England debut in the 3-0 win in Moldova.

1997 Collects another championship winners' medal, voted PFA Young Player of the Year.

1998 Scores first England goal, a free-kick against Colombia in Lens on June 26. Sent off in second-round penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina.

1999 Helps United win the Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup after coming from behind to beat Bayern Munich with two late goals.

Runner-up in World Player of the Year awards, behind Rivaldo.

2001 Curls in a 25-yard last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to earn England a 2-2 draw and send them into World Cup finals.

2003 Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson accidentally kicks a boot into Beckham's face in frustration at United's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal. Awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to football. United announce they have accepted a £25million bid from Real Madrid for Beckham, who agrees personal terms.

2004 Misses a penalty as England lose to Portugal in a shoot-out in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals in Lisbon.

2006 Stands down as England captain after World Cup quarter-final exit to Portugal. Dropped from squad for friendly against Greece, Steve McClaren's first match as manager.

2007 Beckham announces in January he will leave Real Madrid and join Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy on a five-year contract in August. Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello says Beckham will never play for the club again, but he then wins the La Liga title with Madrid, having won back his place in the team.

2008 Wins 100th England cap in March friendly against France. AC Milan announce Beckham will join them on loan in January 2009.

2009 Milan announce that under a unique "timeshare" agreement Beckham will stay with them in Italy until the end of the season, return to the Galaxy from July to October and then rejoin the Serie A club for the rest of the 2009/10 campaign. In March, he comes on as a half-time substitute against Slovakia at Wembley to win his 109th cap and break Bobby Moore's record for an outfield player.

2010 Tears his Achilles tendon in Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo, an injury that rules him out of the World Cup.

2011 Wins the MLS Cup as the Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the final. In December, his five-year deal at the Galaxy expires.

2012 Re-signs with the Galaxy in January, confirms he will leave club on December 1 and end his time in MLS in style by winning a second MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo.

2013 In January he signs a five-month contract with Paris St Germain, revealing at a news conference he will play without a salary, donating what he would have earned to a children's charity in the French capital. PSG clinch the Ligue 1 title with a 1-0 win over Lyon last week and Beckham becomes the first Englishman to win league titles in four different countries.

Thursday Announces his retirement from football.

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