What started in Carson in 2007 will end there.

Galaxy midfielder David Beckham announced today that MLS Cup 2012 on Dec. 1 at Home Depot Center will be his final competitive game with the club after six seasons.

“I’ve had an incredibly special time playing for the LA Galaxy , however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career,” Beckham said. “I don’t see this as the end of my relationship with the league as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future.

 

“In my time here I have seen the popularity of the game grow every year. I’ve been fortunate to win trophies, but more important to me has been the fantastic reception I’ve had from fans in L.A. and across the States. Soccer’s potential has no limits in this wonderful country and I want to always be part of growing it.”

From the Galaxy press release:

“The arrival of Beckham in Southern California and Major League Soccer has coincided with a period of unrivaled growth for both the Galaxy and the league, which is approaching the conclusion of its 17^th season.

Seven expansion teams – Montreal, Portland, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Jose and Toronto FC – have debuted since 2007 while 15 of the league’s 19 teams now play in soccer specific stadiums, up from five prior to 2007.

Attendance at those stadiums are at unprecedented highs with an average of 18,807 fans attending games during the 2012 MLS regular season and nearly 22,000 fans turning out per game in the postseason. Additionally, exposure and recognition of the Galaxy and MLS are at all-time highs with the league maintaining national television broadcast deals with ESPN, NBC Sports and Univision while the Galaxy reached a 10-year broadcast deal with Time Warner Cable Sports in November 2011 that is the most lucrative in MLS history.”

“Seldom does an athlete redefine a sport and David not only took our franchise to another level but he took our sport to another level,” said Tim Leiweke, President and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan star played 98 regular season games for the Galaxy scoring 18 goals and 40 assists, fourth most in club history.

Beckham is also a veteran of three World Cups and played 115 times for England.

Notice, incidentally, there was no use of the “r” word — retirement — in the press release, but given his comments above we can safely assume that this is the end of his competitive days of playing football.

It’s over in 24 hours or when the limited supply of tickets runs out.

Tickets start at $57.50 for the rematch of last year’s final between the Galaxy and Houston Dynamo

It’s the fifth time in the last 10 years MLS Cup has been held in Carson.

Full details here.

I’ll have more on the game in Tuesday’s column.

LA Galaxy 4 Seattle Sounders 2

Western Conference Quicky: If you blinked you missed Robbie Keane holding what I presume is the Western Conference trophy aloft (that’s AEG headf honcho Tim Leiweike to his left) after the Galaxy’s “win” in cold, rainy and hostile Seattle. That’s because it was the world’s quickest victory celebration with a trophy that means little with MLS Cup looming at home in Carson Dec. 1 (AP Photo).

Last year’s MLS Cup win at Home Depot Center seemed almost inevitable for the Galaxy, Supporters Shield winners.

This year it is improbable in the extreme, a lucky penalty call Sunday in Seattle helping ease the wild card berth-winning Galaxy home to the final against an improved Houston Dynamo side for the second successive year.

Yet MLS Cup 2011 will replay Dec. 1 in Carson in the 2012 edition.

Staunch Seattle fans made this a night to remember in atrocious conditions even if the home side fell short, but for the Galaxy it was a disciplined mission accomplished given the head start ahead of the real task at hand.

Quotable:

“Well we didn’t play particularly well tonight; there’s no question about that,” said Galaxy coach Bruce Arena. “We did what we came here to do, to advance into the MLS Cup finals, so that was achieved. Obviously the conditions were difficult, with the surface and the rain and Seattle played quite well, no question about that. Having said all that, we won this competition 4-2 and deserve to move forward. We’ve got a couple weeks to get ready for a real good team. Houston’s in terrific form right now, so it’s going to be a heck of a challenging final.”

Oh, and here’s why ref Marc Geiger called the Galaxy PK (not often you see this kind of explanation): “The hand was in an unnatural playing position, and he was making himself bigger by taking space,” Geiger said. “His arms were outside of his body. [Jhon Kennedy] Hurtado’s arm was next to his body, he was not making himself bigger, and this was a case of “ball-to-hand.”

Look familiar? The Houston Dynamo have made it to the MLS Cup final for the second consecutive year (AP Photo).

The Galaxy can make it a rematch of MLS Cup 2011 with a win tonight over the Seattle Sounders.

Game story here.