Soccer

Beckham aims to leave on a high

David Beckham maintains Sunday's clash with Real Mallorca will be his last game for Real Madrid

Thu Jun 14 2007 - 01:00

David Beckham maintains Sunday's clash with Real Mallorca will be his last game for Real Madrid. He insists he was prepared to play out the rest of his career at Madrid but was told in January that his contract would not be renewed.

Real president Ramon Calderon claimed this week that the Spanish club would try to convince Beckham to go back on a five-year agreement to join Los Angeles Galaxy and stay with Real, utilising a clause he claimed was in the contract.

But the former England captain insists Sunday's La Liga match against Real Mallorca will be his last for the club.

"There is no clause in the contract. My last game is Sunday. I have had an incredible time and hopefully I will end with the best ending possible.

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"I have had no contact with the president about anything else and I first realised I would be leaving Real in January when I was told my contract wouldn't be renewed.

"I knew I had to decide my future and leaving a club like Real Madrid is very difficult. But the future is very bright and something I'm really looking forward to now. But I'll miss Real Madrid and Spain a huge amount."

Beckham looks to be winning his race to be fit for Sunday's Primera Liga showdown against Mallorca. The 32-year-old was unable to train alongside his Madrid team-mates for the first two sessions of the week on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the ankle injury he picked up on England duty.

However, on Thursday morning he was jogging around the pitch at the club's Valdebebas training ground alongside fitness coach Jose Luis San Martin. Madrid will win their first league title since 2003 if they beat Mallorca on Sunday but Beckham is wary of the Balearic Islanders.

"It is difficult, because we still have a big game on Sunday," he said. "The league is not over, we have to win on Sunday and if we win then we will enjoy the celebrations.

"I haven't won anything in four years (at Madrid) and hopefully I can change that on Sunday. My best memory so far was signing for Real Madrid, I'm hoping that will change on Sunday, when my memories here will be taken to another level by winning something. I hope to reward the fans with a trophy."