David Beckham retires, David Beckham's playing career has officially come to a close - after he was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's squad for their final game of the season away to Lorient.It was clear to most observers that the 38-year-old had kicked his last ball in anger last weekend - Beckham tearfully walked off the Parc des Princes pitch to a tremendous reception from his team-mates and the crowd when he was subbed in the new Ligue 1 champions' win over Brest.
The manner of the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder's exit, coupled with the potential harm Lorient's artificial pitch could do to Beckham's surgically-repaired Achilles tendon, gave rise to talk Beckham had already played his final match.
And that has now been confirmed today, with Beckham's name the obvious omission from the party coach Carlo Ancelotti will take to Brittany for Sunday night's match.
The news brings the curtain down on a career which has taken the former England captain from phenomenal success with Manchester United to spells with Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG.
During a period of just over 20 years, Beckham amassed 19 trophies and 115 England caps.
David Beckham factfile
1975: Born Leytonstone, May 2.
1991: Joins Manchester United as trainee.
1992: Makes debut against Brighton in the League Cup on September 23. Wins FA Youth Cup.
1993: Signs professional contract at Old Trafford.
1995: Joins Preston on loan in February and scores two goals in five games.
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.
2000: May - Collects fourth championship winner's medal as United win title by a record 18 points.
November - Named England captain for the November friendly with Italy in Turin by stand-in boss Peter Taylor.
2001: May - Collects another Premier League title with United.
October - 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.
2002: June 7 - Scores from the penalty spot in the World Cup group stage match against Argentina to seal a 1-0 win. England bow out in the quarter-finals at the hands of eventual winners Brazil.
2003: February - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson accidentally kicks a boot into Beckham's face in frustration at United's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.
June 14 - Awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to football.
June 17 - United announce they have accepted a £25million bid from Real Madrid for Beckham, who agrees personal terms.
2004: June 24 - Misses a penalty as England lose to Portugal in a shoot-out in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals in Lisbon.
2005 - November: Captains England for 50th time in friendly against Argentina in Geneva.
2006: July 2 - Stands down as England captain after World Cup quarter-final exit to Portugal.
August 11 - Dropped from squad for friendly against Greece, Steve McClaren's first match as manager.
2007: January 11 - Beckham announces he will leave Real Madrid and join Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy on a five-year contract in August.
January 13 - Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello says Beckham will never play for the club again.
May 26 - McClaren hands Beckham a shock England recall for matches against Brazil and Estonia.
June - Wins the La Liga title with Madrid, having won back his place in the team.
August 16 - Beckham scores his first goal for Galaxy on his full debut in the SuperLiga semi-final meeting with DC United with a trademark free-kick.
2008: March 26 - Wins 100th England cap in the friendly against France.
October 30 - AC Milan announce Beckham will join them on loan on January 7,2009.
2009: March 9 - AC 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 the2009-10 campaign.
March 28 - Comes on as a half-time substitute against Slovakia at Wembley towin his 109th cap and break Bobby Moore's record for an outfield player.
2010: March 14 - Tears his Achilles tendon in Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo - aninjury that rules him out of the World Cup.
June - Part of England's backroom staff for World Cup campaign in South Africawhich ends in second-round defeat to Germany.
August 11 - England career appears to be at an end when Capello tells ITV: "Probably he is a little bit old."
2011: November 20 - Wins the MLS Cup as the Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the final.
December 31 - Five-year deal at the Galaxy expires.
2012: January 19 - Re-signs with the Galaxy.
November 20 - Confirms he is to leave the Galaxy after MLS Cup on December 1.
December 1 - Ends his time in MLS in style by winning a second MLS Cup with a3-1 win over Houston Dynamo.
2013: January 31 - Signs a five-month contract with Paris St Germain, revealing at a press conference he will play without a salary, donating what he would have earned to a children's charity in the French capital.
February 24 - Makes his PSG debut as a substitute against rivals Marseille.
April 2 - Starts Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona. A brief substitute appearance in the following week's second leg was his final European game.
May 12 - PSG clinch the Ligue 1 title with a 1-0 win over Lyon. Beckham becomes the first Englishman to win league titles in four different countries.
May 16 - Announces his retirement from football.
May 18 - Completes a final home match for PSG in tears as he signs off with a 3-1 win over Brest.
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