David Beckham has announced he is retiring from professional soccer. The sports superstar has decided to call time on his playing career at the age of 38, just days after helping his current club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) win the Ligue 1 title in France for the first time in 19 years.

David was offered a one-year contract extension by the French team, but he has stated he will hang up his boots after they play their final game of the season on May 26. "I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level," he said in a statement.

David will now rejoin his wife Victoria Beckham and their four children, Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 10, Cruz, eight, and 21-month-old daughter Harper, in London with the family expected to find a permanent home following their relocation to the UK after leaving Los Angeles.

He paid tribute to his wife and kids as well as his parents, father Ted and mother Sandra, for all their support over the years: "I wouldn't have achieved what I have done today without my family. I'm grateful for my parents' sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams. I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period... I want to thank all my team mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed."

The star had a glittering career playing and winning titles for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, A.C. Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. He also captained the England national side and played 115 times for his country, scoring 17 goals. He is England's most-capped outfield player and has played the second highest amount of games for his country with only goalkeeper Peter Shilton ahead of him.

Speaking of his playing days, he stated, "If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I'm fortunate to have realized those dreams. To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country. I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country. I'm honored to represent England both on and off the pitch."

Now his soccer career is over, David is expected to focus on his work as an ambassador for Sky Sports, Adidas, Unicef and for the sport in China. The hunk - who has an estimated fortune of $250 million - also has his own underwear line with fashion retailer H&M and has a number of endorsement deals.