David Beckham didn’t want to leave what he started here in MLS.
That was one of the primary motivations he identified for signing a two-year deal on Wednesday which extends his stay with the LA Galaxy.
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“I want to get soccer to a different level in this country and I think we’ve done that,” he said in a Google+ Q&A streamed live on YouTube on Thursday. “I’ve felt it’s changed in the last couple of years and that’s why I didn’t want to walk away from it. To walk away from it would be disappointing. I want to continue to be a part of that growth. It’s been an exciting time and it’s great for the family to be here.”
Beckham made it clear that family also played a major role in the final decision.
“They have the final answer — simple as that,” Beckham said half-jokingly. “Our priorities are all about our children. But the growth of the game is growing. To see when I first arrived there was 12 teams in the league and now there are 19. There are stadiums being built around America solely for soccer and that’s the exciting part of why I wanted to stay.
“It was all about what I felt for the future of the game in the US and where my family was happiest. My family are happiest here in the moment. We love living in LA and living in America. We’ve adapted to the culture and adapted to everything this country has and we’ve enjoyed that. I’m going to continue to enjoy playing soccer here and my family will continue to enjoy it.”
The English midfielder spoke about a variety of topics during the Google event, including fielding questions from the live studio audience and taking more than a few photos. The subjects ranged from his H&M bodywear line launch, to the Super Bowl ad in which he’ll feature, his experience at the royal wedding, his visit to Afghanistan, his kids and his Olympic aspirations.
In a comment that may not go down well for Paris-Saint Germain fans, Beckham also called Paris his favorite city in the world even though he turned down an offer to play for PSG and instead sign for LA.
What happens after the next two years in MLS? To be determined, says Beckham.
“I still feel young," he said. "So I’ll continue to play the game, as long as I can. I love it. My contract now is for two years which will take me up to 39 almost. Then we’ll see. I think people expected me even to move away from the Galaxy or retire at the end of this year. I’m excited about the next couple of years. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
Watch Beckham's official Galaxy press conference live on Thursday, January 19 at 2pm PT on lagalaxy.com. WATCH LIVE
