David Beckham's career - in pictures

Beckham was among the so-called 'Fergie Fledglings' who won the FA Youth Cup against Crystal Palace in 1992. His team-mates included Paul Scholes, the Neville brothers, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt Photograph: Popperfoto/Popperfoto/Getty Images

After scoring from the half-way line against Wimbledon in August 1996 – one of the defining moments of his career – Beckham's status rose Photograph: Michael Cooper/Getty Images

By the end of the season he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year and was handed the retiring Eric Cantona's number 7 shirt Photograph: Action Images

United won the title that year - it was the first of six Premier League titles that Beckham won with United Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

At the World Cup in 1998, Beckham endured the lowest moment of his career. He was sent off by Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen for kicking out at Diego Simeone during a World Cup quarter-final against Argentina. Beckham was vilified back home for his role in England's failure to progress to the semis Photograph: Denis Doyle/AP

Victory in the Champions League final against Bayern Munic, in 1999 earned Beckham a European crown. Somehow the most photographed man on the planet evaded the cameras during the all-important trophy lift Photograph: Popperfoto/Popperfoto/Getty Images

Redemption on the international scene came in 2001 as, first, England tonked Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Munich Photograph: Tom Jenkins

And then, most critically, Beckham scored a last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to hand England a berth at the World Cup Photograph: Tom Jenkins

He was duly voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year Photograph: PA/EMPICS

The World Cup brought with it pain, however, as England were dumped out by Brazil in the quarter-final. David Seaman was lobbed by an outrageous long-range free-kick from Ronaldinho Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Beckham's Manchester United career hit the skids in 2003 when Alex Ferguson caught him in the face by angrily kicking a boot in the dressing room following an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

In the summer, Beckham moved to Real Madrid for £25 million, leaving his boyhood club Photograph: Pierre-philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

It took four years for Beckham and his fellow Galacticos to win La Liga - he did it in his final season with the club, in 2007, under the management of Fabio Capello, having controversially announced his intention to leave for the USA earlier in the campaign Photograph: Pierre-philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

In joining LA Galaxy, Beckham sought to generate greater interest in football in the USA Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire./PA

But a desire to regain his place in the England squad meant he joined Milan on loan in 2009, missing swathes of the MLS season to do so Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

That irked many Galaxy fans and his team-mate Landon Donovan, who publicly criticised him for his lack of commitment Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Despite the reaction of fans in America, Beckham returned to the San Siro for another loan spell in 2010 ... but he tore his Achilles tendon during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AC Chievo Verona, curtalling his time in Italy and ending his hopes of an England recall Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Beckham's last international match was, therefore, one he played in 2009 - a World Cup qualifying match against Belarus at Wembley Photograph: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images

Ultimately his period in the USA was a success, and it ended with a second league triumph as the Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup in 2012 Photograph: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Beckham's final season of professional football was with PSG. Mainly used as a substitute by manager Carlo Ancelotti, he nonetheless helped PSG to win the title. After 718 games, he has announced today that he will now hang up his boots Photograph: PASCAL FAYOLLE/SIPA / Rex Featur