FROM his wonder-goal against Wimbledon that announced his arrival in English Football to his latest title across the English Channel, David Beckham’s storied career has never been short on drama.

That career came to an end on Thursday when the former England captain announced his retirement from football at the end of this season. It was a graceful ending as the 38-year-old bowed out with his fourth league title in four different countries after Paris St Germain won the Ligue 1 title last week.

But it wasn’t the Hollywood ending he, and probably many others, would’ve entertained when he came to the French capital in January. He was a bit-part player in PSG’s run-in to their first domestic title since 1994, making nine appearances.

But maybe the Qatari-backed club were looking to use his experience in the Champions League where they went out to Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Beckham played in the first-leg, a 2-2 draw at Parc des Princes, but he was made painfully aware that his advancing years were catching up on him and despite his limitless bounds of stamina; he just couldn’t cut it at European football’s biggest stage.

And he disclosed that to his old friend and former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville in an interview on Sky Sports on Thursday, although half-jokingly, that he’d been pondering retirement “probably after Lionel Messi was running past me during that match”.

Nonetheless, Beckham’s glittering career ended with a title — and that too at the highest level — after he left Los Angeles Galaxy for what he said would be “one final challenge”.

In his final game with the Galaxy, he ended a winner; guiding them to their second successive MLS Cup title to end his five-year stay in the United States which saw him boost the profile of football and become the face of the game across the Atlantic.

But if his final year as a player ended with two titles, he’s had his ups and downs throughout his career.

However, like a riveting screenplay he’s somehow found a way to get himself out of those struggles and eventually winding up at the top.

A spectacular goal from the halfway line in the opening game of the 1996-97 season for his boyhood club Manchester United against Wimbledon made Beckham a household name in England.

It was the goal that would kick-start a career that saw a gangly teenager turn into one of world football’s most recognisable faces.

Having joined United as a 16-year-old, Beckham broke into the senior team a year later and following a short-term loan to Preston North End, made himself a regular starter for United after manager Alex Ferguson attempted to build a team solely from players from the youth side.

That group of players, known as ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’, included Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville.

A year later, though, Beckham became public enemy number one. His red card in England’s last-16 defeat against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup in France for a petulant kick at Diego Simeone led to death threats and hanging of his effigy from a lamp-post outside a London pub.

A slight redemption came a year later as he celebrated a treble of the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup with United in arguably what was the highest point of his career.

Then, aided by his high-profile marriage to Victoria Adams, the former Spice Girl turned fashion designer, he became one of the most marketable brands in world sport, a global brand and the world’s highest-paid footballer.

Made captain of the England national team in 2000, Beckham endeared himself to his country’s fans, who’d previously booed him, by scoring with a last-gasp free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford in a qualifier which sent them to the 2002 World Cup finals.

He then atoned for his aberration in England’s defeat to Argentina four years ago, scoring the winning penalty against the Albiceleste which sent his side into the last-16 stage in Korea-Japan.

A year after the World Cup, with Beckham’s stock having risen to astonishing levels, he left for Spanish giants Real Madrid following a well-publicised bust-up with Ferguson which saw the Scot accidentally lashing out a boot in the dressing room which landed on Beckham’s face.

It brought to an end an 11-year stay at the club where he showcased his pinpoint crosses and spectacular free-kicks en route to six Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

At Real, Beckham completed the club’s ‘galactico’ ambition, joining stars like Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Raul.

However, while his and the club’s appeal soared, the trophies didn’t come by all that easily.

It was the same with England as they crashed out of Euro 2004 after Beckham skied a penalty against Portugal in the quarter-final and two years later at the World Cup in Germany; they bowed out to the same opponents at the same stage with a tearful Beckham looking on from the bench.

He gave up captaincy and was subsequently dropped, before he returned to the squad having guided Real to the La Liga title in 2007 and went on to pass 100 caps for his country and ending on 115, the most for an outfield player.

His final appearance for England came in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Belarus before injury prevented him from making the England squad for the World Cup in South Africa.

He was there, though, assisting coach Fabio Capello from the touch-line. By then, Beckham had been in California for three years but without much success with the Galaxy.

And while critics slammed him for his lack of ambition and his off-season spells with AC Milan, he turned that around by guiding Galaxy to the MLS Cup title in 2011; the one he helped them defend in his final game with the club.

His final stop on an incredible journey was Paris and having seen Ferguson step down from the United helm last week, Beckham decided it was the right time to go.

Like Ferguson and many other legends, Beckham too went out a winner — the best way to go.