In fact, David Beckham's American adventure with the Los Angeles Galaxy ends in style the last game of the Spice Boy coincided with the victory of the fourth title in the history of the Californian team, which was confirmed as champion for the second consecutive year (the other two successes in 2002 and 2005). Beckham and company conquered Major League Soccer 2012 (the 17th edition of the US soccer championship) beating the Houston Dynamo 3-1 in the one-off final played in its stadium, the Home Depot Center in Carson, since the regulation provides that the final game is played on the field of the best-ranked team at the end of the regular season (the Bruce Arena team finished fourth in the Western Conference, while the opponents in fifth in the Eastern) .
The match saw the comeback of the Galaxy, who, after returning to the locker room at halftime down by a goal, signed by the Houston striker Carr right in the 45th minute, turned the situation around in the second half thanks to a one-two from Gonzalez and Donovan (penalty) between the 61st and 65th minutes, closing the conversation in the 94th minute with former Inter player Keane again from the penalty spot, thus being able to give Beckham a standing ovation, who was replaced a few seconds before the final whistle. The match was also the remake of last year's final, when the Galaxy always prevailed at home (1-0 with a decisive goal from Donovan), this triumph leads the Californian team to reach DC United in first place as titles won ( 4), while last night's opponents remain stuck at 2 hits.
David Beckham, who has collected in the white jersey in these six years 125 appearances seasoned by 20 goals, leaves as best he could, aware of having contributed in no small way to increasing the popularity of soccer in a country where the most popular team sports are still others, from basketball to baseball, not to mention American football. The goal, when he arrived in 2007, in fact was just that, using his image to give more prominence to this league and attract more and more fans. From an advertising point of view, the operation was successful, but the number 23, a former Real Madrid and Manchester United player, proved that he didn't go overseas only on vacation, taking on the commitment in a serious and professional manner, often resulting decisive with his plays on the pitch and receiving only a few criticisms for the choice to indulge in the double parenthesis with the Milan shirt.
In recent years, in the wake of his arrival, MLS has welcomed other important names of players with great European careers behind them eager to give themselves a few more years of professional football and try the experience of living in a country like America, where then many decide to stay even after they stop playing. Just the Los Angeles Galaxy are the team with the most players known to football fans, in fact, in addition to Beckham, they count among their ranks the Irish national striker Robbie Keane (top scorer of these playoffs with 6 goals), the Swedish winger Christian Wilhelmsson (Romanist meteor and remembered above all for his blonde partner) and the star of the US national team Landon Donovan (also with some European experience), to remember also in 2007 the brief appearance on the club bench of the former AC Milan champion Ruud Gullit, chosen to lead the team in the media-hot months of Beckham's arrival, but who brought very few results on the pitch.
Another great champion who has chosen to end his career overseas is the striker Thierry Henry, the absolute best scorer in the history of Arsenal and the French national team, who, after being the symbol of the Gunners and playing for three years in Barcelona, from 2010 is found in the New York Red Bulls, with which this season, however, has not managed to go beyond the first round of the playoffs. Another formation full of old acquaintances of our football are the Montreal Impact, a Canadian company that this year was making its debut in the MLS championship and certainly the most Italian team in the tournament, given that in defense it can boast the pairing Alessandro Nesta and Matteo Ferrari , while in attack he can line up two bombers like Marco Di Vaio and Bernardo Corradi (the latter however had to miss almost the entire season due to a bad knee injury), another player who has passed through our Serie A is also in the squad , former Inter reserve Nelson Rivas.
Beckham is therefore leaving a movement which, although it still has a long way to go compared to other national sports, is slowly acquiring its respect even beyond the borders, a fact testified by the good level reached by the US national team and by the presence of some US players who assert themselves in the various European leagues, such as the attacking midfielder Clint Dempsey, who moved from Fulham to Tottenham in the summer after a sensational last season in the Premier League, or the new Roma midfielder Michael Bradley, who attracted the attention of Zeman and the management after the excellent last championship with the Chievo Verona shirt.
The 37-year-old Englishman, who as he greeted the crowd said he had lived six exciting years in a special place, hoping he had entertained people and helped increase interest in soccer in America, expressed his wish not to still wanting to retire but wanting to try one last, yet another adventure in another team. There are many options coming out these days, from the rich Chinese championship to the romantic return to the Premier League, passing through the usual Paris Saint Germain, the football-show business match signed by Beckham doesn't seem over yet...
