Beckham bids farewell to Old Trafford

Beckham bid an emotional farewell to Old Trafford. He is quitting European soccer and is expected to start a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major league Soccer in July.

Beckham joined United in 1991 at 16, debuted the next year, and transferred in 2003 to Real Madrid." The time I spent at this club was the best time in my whole football career," Beckham told the crowd at a charity match won 4-3 by United over a Europe XI on Tuesday.

Beckham won six English Premier League titles and a Champions League medal during his United career. But he hadn't been able to personally thank United for 14 trophy-filled years." I have waited four years to actually come back and to actually say thank you to the fans and the people of the club," he said. "I think I wouldn't have got through many things without the people in this stadium."

On the pitch, he publicly supported his former manager Alex Ferguson. "David Beckham had some great years here. He came as a boy, all his formative years were here. It was a great learning foundation here before he went to Madrid", Ferguson later said.

The United team leads the Premier League by nine points and remains in contention for the Champions League and FA Cup