Former England captain David Beckham is all set to bid adieu to L.A. Galaxy after he plays in MLS Cup final on Saturday. It's an interesting situation with Beckham's first news conference six seasons ago, when the celebrity soccer star entered into the stadium in a sharp gray suit with a crowd of more than 5,000 were cheering for him including L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
However, so much has changed after Beckham joined the Galaxy and Major League Soccer in 2007. For the side, Beckham's final competitive match in a Galaxy uniform against the Houston Dynamo will prove to be the third championship-game appearance in four years.
As far as MLS is considered, Beckham's departure figures to finish one of the most exciting growth aspects of any league in U.S. professional sports history, one that witnessed it move from 12 to 19 teams, include 10 new soccer-specific stadiums, over double its overall attendance and increase worldwide merchandise sales by more than 230%.
"I don't think anybody would doubt that he has overdelivered on every one of those measures," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "There's arguably not a soccer fan on this planet that doesn't know the L.A. Galaxy and Major League Soccer, and David played a significant role in helping us make that happen.
"He was an unbelievable ambassador for the league, for the Galaxy."
Even after all the publicity and events surrounding his move to Southern California, Beckham hardly appeared like a messiah at the initial stage, with just two games in his first Galaxy season owing to injuries. However, he remained around long enough to comfort team captain Landon Donovan and several other teammates.
Beckham stayed away from five games the concluding season, but the Galaxy managed with a franchise-low eight wins. After Beckham spent most of 2009 on loan to AC Milan, Galaxy fans reacted rather indifferently, tremendously booing him on his arrival to the Carson stadium where he had been so generously received 24 months earlier.
"No one expect[ed] him to do signings at the local Home Depot or drink with the supporters after the game," says Brian Lynch of Angel City Brigade, the largest of the Galaxy's three main supporter groups. "What we did expect though was 100% commitment to the team. That was questionable his first two years in L.A.
"Then something changed. He realized that being David Beckham wasn't enough. He decided to play for the Galaxy like he was playing Champions League games. When he started showing the team dedication, he earned our respect."
"I had my ups and downs with the fans. I've never had that with any other club that I've played at," Beckham says. "But things have turned around so much that doesn't come into play anymore. They've accepted what I've hoped I brought to the league and the club."
In the coming days Beckham’s expected to return to MLS as a team executive, apparently as a partner with AEG, the group that owns the Galaxy. Above all, however, he has to finish Saturday’s game on a successful note.
