BECKS WILL MISS MADRID Portuguese soccer star Abel Xavier said Monday that he would join David Beckham at United States Major League Soccer team the Los Angeles Galaxy. Xavier, who played for Portuguese team Oviedo from 1996 to 1998, said he had already spoken to Beckham, 32, about the move. "He is a player I admire and that made a difference in the decision. He helped me to say yes to the invitation," Xavier said. Xavier will be 34 when he begins his U.S. career in August and will play for the Galaxy for a year and a half, with an option to extend to two years. Xavier currently plays for English premier league team Middlesborough, but had not been able to renew his contract with them, originally signed in 2005, but suspended for a year when he was caught using a bodybuilding steroid dianabol. Beckham is set to leave Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid this summer for a 6.5 million US dollars a year contract in Los Angeles, a figure that is 50 times the average MLS salary. The MLS has also managed to attract a major Mexican name: Cuauhtemoc Blanco, 34, star player for Mexico City team America, who travels to Chicago team the Fire. However, all the major international players have been in their 30s, usually considered close to the end of a soccer player's career.

---

All Material Copyright DavidBeckham-usa.com 2007