"I was treated like I had been there for 16 years" - Manchester United legend David Beckham opens up on his brief stint with PSG
David Beckham has spoken highly about Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) while reminiscing about his brief stint with the club.
Beckham came through the ranks at Manchester United and rose to fame with the Premier League giants, which led to his move to Real Madrid in 2003. After four seasons in Spain, the Englishman joined MLS' LA Galaxy.
After spending five years in the United States of America, during which he also had two loan spells at AC Milan, Beckham joined PSG in early 2013 on a free transfer. He made just 14 appearances for the Parisians, won the 2013-13 Ligue 1 title with them before calling time on his career.
Recalling his time at PSG, Beckham appreciated the French giants for treating him like family despite his very brief association with the club. He told PSG TV:
“I will always remember what they did for me, the way they treated me and the attitude of the PSG supporters towards me. Even though I only stayed six months, I felt like I was treated like I had been there for 16 years and was part of this family.”
Speaking about how the discussions led to him moving to PSG, Beckham said:
“They said to me, ‘We know you’re out of contract. We haven’t won the championship for a while. We are in good shape, but we think that if you come to the team for the rest of the season, you will give us a little boost.’ ”
He added:
“So the opportunity to be part of the team they had … There was a young Thiago Silva; they had Motta, Maxwell, a young Verratti, and obviously Zlatan and a lot of other great players. It got me excited and gave me the opportunity to play for another team in Europe, one of the biggest. I couldn’t refuse.”
Inter Miami owner David Beckham looking to bring PSG superstar Lionel Messi to MLS: Reports
With Lionel Messi in the final months of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, he has been linked with a move to a host of clubs, including Inter Miami, which is co-owned by David Beckham.
The Independent reported earlier this month that the MLS club were willing to offer Messi an equity stake in the club to convince him to join the club in the summer.
Miami boss Phil Neville also confirmed the club's interest in Messi, telling The Times:
"I’m not going to deny [it and say] there isn’t truth in the speculation that we’re interested in Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets. Since I joined Miami, I think we’ve been linked with every single top player in world football."