David Beckham played for PSG during his playing career. |
When Inter Miami faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, all eyes seemed to be on Lionel Messi – the central figure of both teams, past and present. However, off the sidelines, another figure also captivated PSG – David Beckham.
Beckham played for PSG for a short time, but left a legacy so emotional and profound that he himself admitted: "They treated me as if I had been with them for 16 years, not six months."
Beckham arrived in Paris in the winter of 2013 – a surprising, unusual, and highly symbolic signing. At that time, Qatar Sports Investments was just entering the early stages of its “PSG universe” project, with the ambition of transforming the team into a global brand.
Chairman Nasser Al Khelaïfi didn't need a versatile midfielder – he needed a big name. Beckham, though past his peak and seemingly preparing to retire after his time in MLS, remained an international icon, a living brand with timeless appeal.
Recruiting Beckham was the perfect marketing move, but what made the deal stand out from the crowd was the English player himself. He agreed to play without a single penny in salary – all the money that would have been paid to him (around 800,000 euros per month) was donated to charities, hospitals, and organizations supporting children.
PSG paid this amount through a fund in Qatar, allowing them to avoid salary cap restrictions. It was an unprecedented move, and once again, Beckham proved that he was unlike any other football star.
Today, Beckham – in his role as owner of Inter Miami – will face PSG in the Club World Cup. |
Beckham's debut for PSG couldn't have been more spectacular – the "French El Clasico" against Marseille. Although he only came on in the 76th minute replacing Javier Pastore, every move he made was watched by international television. At the time, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was PSG's most prominent player, but Beckham – at 37 – still shone with his own unique brilliance.
The play that led to the 2-0 winning goal is proof of that. It originated from Beckham's magical feet and ended with Ibra's finish.
However, Beckham's legacy in Paris isn't measured in statistics. It's present in the loving gazes of the fans, in the way he's spoken of with pure respect. Six months is a blink of an eye in PSG history, but it's an entire chapter of emotions for the supporters.
"I feel like I belong there, as if I've been part of that big family for a very long time," Beckham shared – words that weren't just polite formalities, but genuine feelings.
On May 18, 2013, before more than 45,000 spectators at Parc des Princes, Beckham bid farewell to football. In the 81st minute, he left the pitch to thunderous applause – one of the most moving applause the stadium had ever witnessed. Amidst tears, Beckham raised his head to greet the stands – not as a legend saying goodbye to football, but as a son leaving a home he hadn't been able to be a part of for long enough.
Beckham concluded his journey with a Ligue 1 title. That year, PSG nearly reached the Champions League semi-finals – they were eliminated by Barcelona only because of the away goals rule. In the French Cup, PSG were knocked out by the minnow team Evian.
But trophies aren't the ultimate value in football – it's emotions that last. And in that respect, Beckham's departure was one of the greatest moments in PSG history.
Now, in a different chapter of his life – as the owner of Inter Miami – Beckham faces PSG in a completely different context. Gone are the precise crosses and spectacular free kicks, but his presence still carries the memory of a brief and glittering springtime.
PSG was where Beckham ended his playing career - but it is also where his football memories will live on forever.
Source: https://znews.vn/ky-uc-psg-goi-ten-beckham-post1564649.html
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