I REALISED IT WAS TIME TO GIVE UP WHEN MESSI RAN PAST ME

WHeN it came to the biggest announcement of his career, David Beckham decided that the best man at his wedding was the best man for the job.

Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville was with him when it all began, sharing a dressing room with Beckham in the Manchester United youth team and going on to win the Champions League together in 1999.

On Tuesday afternoon, in a suite in Le Bristol Hotel in Paris, Beckham spoke to his close friend and outlined the reasons behind his decision to retire after 20 years at the top.

He joked that it was the moment when Lionel Messi danced past him during Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League tie against Barcelona in the Parc des Princes on April 2.

Then there was the serious side — the midfielder who wants to be remembered as one of the hardest working and most committed players of his generation.

Beckham, who will play the final game of his career for PSG at Lorient next Sunday, told Neville: ‘I probably knew when Messi was running past me in the home game, but I’m privileged to have won the trophies I have won.

‘ Over the years, when I’ve seen players retire, when you ask them about it, they always say you’ll know when you’re ready.

‘And I think, I know when I’m ready. I think I’m ready. Obviously it’s a difficult decision because I still feel that I can play at the top level, and have done for the last six months.

‘But I always secretly said to myself that I want to go out at the top. If you’d have said to me eight months ago I’d be playing in the French league, winning the French Cup — winning the league — and finishing like this, I would have probably said, absolutely no chance.

‘But I was given the opportunity to come to PSG and I just feel now is the right time.’

The former england captain has made nine appearances for PSG and there is room for two more — against Brest on Saturday and Lorient next Sunday — before he retires.

Beckham, 38, has commitments all over the world and there is an open invitation from the FA to work with them in the future to help develop english football.

He has a five-year contract with Sky Sports to support their Living for Sport campaign, working i n an ambassadorial and advisory capacity in the future.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy and england midfielder has also taken on a role in China to help develop the sport.

Beckham, speaking to Neville in an extensive interview broadcast on Sky Sports News HD yesterday, added: ‘I just want people to see me as a hard-working footballer and someone who is passionate about the game.

‘every time I have stepped on the pitch, I’ve given everything that I have because that’s how I feel.

‘Going into games at the end of my career, that’s how I look back on it and hope people will see me. I think, over the years, it’s been my life and my career.

‘People have obviously looked at certain other things that have gone on throughout my career, and I think sometimes that’s overshadowed what I’ve done on the pitch and what I’ve achieved on the pitch.

‘As much as I say that doesn’t hurt me, of course it does.

‘At the end of the day, I’m a footballer who has played at some of the biggest football clubs in the world and played with some of the best players in the world.’

His career has been i ncredible, winning six english Premier League titles with United and the famous Treble after that incredible night against Bayern Munich in 1999. From Roy Keane to Zinedine Zidane and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he has also played alongside some of the world’s best footballers during his career.

He has also played under some of the world’s leading managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti during his glittering career.

Beckham added: ‘ I’ve played under some of the biggest and best managers and achieved almost everything in football.

‘Of course it hurts when people question it, but to come to the end of my career and look back and say I’ve achieved everything with every club that I’ve played for.

‘I played for my country 115 t i mes, been runner-up twice in the World Player of the Year to two amazing footballers. I’m very proud of that.

‘I think it’s every athlete’s dream, every footballer’s dream — to go out at the top.

‘either top form or winning a trophy. It doesn’t happen that often. I’ve been lucky.

‘When I left United we ( had) won the league. When I left Madrid we (had) won the league.

‘Like you said, leaving the Galaxy, doing two years of winning the championship there and then coming here and winning the league.

‘It’s nice to go out like that. I think people look back and it’s written. It’s simple. You’re leaving as a champion. I think that’s why I think it’s the right time.’