David Beckham is to retire from professional soccer at the end of the season, his representative announced Thursday.

The 38-year-old midfielder has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan, as well as winning 115 caps for England, and recently won the French Ligue 1 championship with Paris Saint-Germain.

"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," he said in a statement.

"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."

Beckham expressed his gratitude to his family in the statement.

"I wouldn't have achieved what I have done today without my family," he said. "I'm grateful for my parents' sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams. I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period."

He said he's excited about life after retirement although "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."

Beckham's title triumph with PSG made him the first British player to have won league championships in four different countries, after previous successes in England, Spain and the US.

He won six league titles, two FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League with United, before joining Madrid in 2003, where he won the Spanish league title four years later.

He moved to Los Angeles in 2007, winning two MLS Cup titles with the Galaxy, but spent two loan spells at Milan and then returned to Europe in January this year, when he signed a short-term deal with PSG.

He captained England between 2000 and 2006, played at three World Cups, and has played more times for his country than any other outfield player.

"David Beckham has been an outstanding footballer throughout his career," British Prime Minister David Cameron said through a spokesman.

"Not only that he has been a brilliant ambassador for this country, not least if we remember all the work he did in helping us win London 2012.

"The prime minister's message would simply be to say, congratulations on a fantastic career."

"I know he would leave one day, but I never thought he would announce his retirement all of a sudden," commented one Sina Weibo user.

"A soccer player like Beckham shouldn't have any regrets - with all the honors, respect and wealth that belong to him," another user wrote.