David Beckham

Yesterday, David Beckham announced his plans to retire from soccer at the end of his season with Paris Saint-Germain. He'll play his final game at the end of the month, and while we all mourn the loss of our favorite shirtless guy on the field, his wife, Victoria Beckham, is looking toward the "next chapter" in their lives. Victoria shared her sentiment in a statement on behalf of herself and the couple's four children. Here's what Victoria said about David's retirement:

"The children and I are so proud of David; it's been an incredible journey for us all as we have watched him play at clubs all over the world throughout the last 15 years. Myself and the children have cheered him from the stands, as he has held high trophies with his teams at Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy, and Paris St.-Germain. This was not an easy decision to make, and to me and the children he will always be an amazing sportsman and a devoted husband and father. He is, and will always remain, a true ambassador for sport and is not just an inspiration to myself and our children but for millions of people worldwide. We are all excited about the next chapter in our lives and the adventures we will explore as a family."

Victoria added today on Twitter: "Thank you for all your lovely messages, we are so proud of you David." She also shared this sweet snap of the couple.

After 20 years, David Beckham is hanging up that soccer jersey we loved to watch him take off. In his statement, David said, "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 100 times, and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy." For his fans, David has been a dream both on and off the field. While he won't provide anymore end-of-game stripteases, that could free up his time to strip down for his underwear ads. To celebrate his career, here are five reasons we love David Beckham, coming to you in GIF form.

He Looks Good Driving a Boat

David Beckham's triumphant Thames boat ride kicked off the London Games. He made sure the Olympic torch got there in one piece. Keep reading for four more GIFs!

After signing a five-month deal with his current team, Paris Saint-Germain, in January, David Beckham has announced he will retire at the end of the season. In a statement, David revealed the reasoning behind hanging up his cleats, explaining, "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. 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 100 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."

The former England captain, who began his career with Manchester United at the young age of 14, will retire with a decorated history in the sport boasting many on-field accomplishments, including winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League. David also took the field for the US as a member of the LA Galaxy for six years and had a stint with Real Madrid, winning titles with both to add to his collection with Manchester United. His storied career will conclude in Paris on May 18 with PSG's game against Brest. In looking to the future, David said, "Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love. However, I feel like I'm starting a new adventure and I'm genuinely excited about what lies ahead. I'm fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it's my time to give back."

We love Pinterest just as much as you do, which is why we are highlighting the five pictures that made viral waves this week. David and Harper Beckham's father-daughter snap in Paris last weekend was POPSUGAR's fifth-most-shared picture of the week. Then, what do a flawless six-pack, a curve-hugging red carpet look, and obscure PDA have in common? You could not stop pinning them! To see which pictures ranked in our top four pins, read more