David Beckham feels no remorse after leaving the European soccer scene to start a new career in the United States with Los Angeles Galaxy.
The England midfielder has moved to the low key Major League Soccer (MLS) from Real Madrid, one of the world's biggest clubs, on a five-year deal worth an estimated $250 million.
"I have no regrets whatsoever," Beckham, 32, told a news conference after being officially introduced as a Galaxy player at the Home Depot Center on Friday.
"I made the decision when I wasn't in the Real Madrid team and I was also taken out of the England team. And I have always promised I would never regret anything.
"I needed a new challenge after my four years at Real Madrid and I'm glad that I ended that challenge with a title so there was no better time for me to leave Europe."
Beckham refused to accept his international and club careers were over and bounced back to end his final campaign in Europe on a high when Real Madrid clinched the Spanish league title last month. It was his first and only major honour with the club.
He also shone on his recall to the England squad a fortnight earlier after being discarded following last year's World Cup.
Firmly back in favour with coach Steve McClaren, Beckham is almost certain to play in England's friendly against Germany at Wembley on August 22 and also in their last five qualifying games for Euro 2008.
"My international ambitions have been the same ever since I wanted to play for my country to the moment that I was selected for my country to the moment that I was given the captain's armband," Beckham said.
SAME AMBITIONS
"Those ambitions will stay like that because the manager has made it clear that if I stay fit, he will pick me."
Beckham, whose move to the US is part of an orchestrated bid to lift American soccer to a new level, joins a struggling Galaxy side that has won only three of its 12 league games so far this season.
However, the former England captain is not too perturbed.
"I've had some of the DVDs of some of the games sent to me recently," he said.
"Some Galaxy players have been out injured and others have had international commitments.
"We are doing all right. I've spoken to [Galaxy general manager] Alexi [Lalas] and [head coach] Frank [Yallop] and they have said the players have come together and are now playing football so things are looking up."
Despite being the biggest name to move to the U.S. since soccer greats Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff in the 1970s and early eighties, Beckham feels he will bond quickly with his new team mates.
"I think once I am in with the lads and we have been training for two or three days, they will see what I'm like as a person," he said. "I just want to be part of the team.
"The other stuff that surrounds me and that comes with me as a player, I believe I have always handled in the right way. I've always been in football to play football."
Beckham will report for his first day of training as a Galaxy player on Monday.
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