Where are they now? PSG’s XI from David Beckham’s final appearance
David Beckham brought the curtain down on a glittering 20-year playing career in May 2013, bowing out for Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital. But what became of the PSG team-mates he played with in his final professional match?
One of Britain’s greatest football stars – Beckham won 19 major trophies and featured 115 times for his country – called it quits aged 37, following a five-month loan spell in Paris where he helped the club claim the Ligue 1 title.
The second most-capped England player of all time was one of the first superstar names the Parisiens had in their ranks.
Beckham’s gesture of donating his salary to a local children’s charity during his brief stay endeared the legendary midfielder to the PSG supporters; it wasn’t just his incredible passing and wicked set-piece delivery that earned adulation.
We’ve taken a look back at the PSG side from that memorable day at the Parc des Princes – when Carlo Ancelotti’s side won 3-1 against Brest – to see what those players went on to achieve.
GK: Salvatore Sirigu (Alphonse Areola, ’48)
The Italian won four league honours with PSG and was named the Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year twice in his six-year stay.
However, after losing his spot as a first-team regular, Sirigu returned to his homeland joining Serie A side Torino in 2017. He was determined to stake his claim ahead of the 2018 World Cup, but the Azzurri somehow failed to qualify for the tournament. He is now playing for Fiorentina.
Areola enjoyed contrasting World Cup fortunes, winning the competition with France in Russia – albeit as a backup to Les Bleus captain Hugo Lloris.
He currently plays second fiddle to Lukasz Fabianski at West Ham, and was also very much a bit-part player for PSG, although he did rack up four Ligue 1 titles.
READ: Six brilliant keepers who just couldn’t displace Buffon as Italy No.1
RB: Christophe Jallet
Jallet made the switch to French rivals Lyon in 2014 after slipping down the pecking order under compatriot Laurent Blanc in Paris. Former France international Blanc favoured Gregory van der Wiel as his first-choice right-back.
Jallet – who played the entirety of his career in France – retired in 2020 following a spell at Amiens SC.
CB: Zoumana Camara
Many will forget Camara was once on loan at Leeds United during the 2003-04 season. It’s probably a spell he’s wiped from his memory as the Whites lost their Premier League status that term.
He signed for PSG in 2007 and ended his career at the club eight years later. The one-time France international took up a coaching role in the PSG academy after he hung up his boots.
I played for Leeds Zoumana Camara #LUFC pic.twitter.com/Lyt3EX1aT6
— The Leeds Enthusiast (@EnthusiastLeeds) August 13, 2013
CB: Mamadou Sakho
The defender was a fan-favourite at PSG making his debut at 17. But after initially impressing, the relationship between the hot-headed defender and his boyhood club soon became fractious.
“Despite traits making Sakho a potential world-class defender, the Frenchman has some character flaws that were eventually too severe to overcome in Paris,” ESPN Journalist Jonathan Johnson said in 2013.
Sakho moved to Liverpool but largely failed to impress under both Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp. Following a spell at Crystal Palace, he now plays for Montpellier.
His career might not have planned out the way many expected, but at least he provided us with this wonderful clip – bumping into one of his team-mates from this very game on the streets of Paris.
Happy Birthday, Mamadou Sakho. Hopefully you’ll get to see Blaise Matuidi again. pic.twitter.com/GQIo9DHDsO
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) February 13, 2019
LB: Siaka Tiene
The 96-cap Ivory Coast left-back departed PSG as a free agent to link up with Montpellier in 2013 after three seasons in the capital.
He retired at Montpellier in 2015.
DM: Clement Chantome (Lucas Moura, ’46)
Chantome advanced through the youth ranks at PSG, making his first-team debut in 2006 before spending nine years at the club.
The 35-year-old signed for fourth-tier French outfit C’Chartres last year. It appears the winger is in the final stages of his career.
Lucas Moura contributed 46 goals and 50 assists in 229 appearances for PSG. Despite being regarded as an immense talent, he never quite lived up to the hype.
The Brazilian moved to Spurs in 2018 under Mauricio Pochettino and he has been inconsistent there too. He’s set to leave on a free transfer this summer and few seem bothered about letting him go.
Still, he scored that hat-trick against Ajax to send the club to their first Champions League final in 2019.
Without the away goals rule in the Champions League, THAT Lucas Moura 'winner' 🆚 Ajax would have only taken the tie to extra time 🤯pic.twitter.com/qH4c6RsXft
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 24, 2021
DM: David Beckham (Ezequiel Lavezzi, ’82)
Beckham only appeared 10 times under Ancelotti, and, for PSG, his signing was arguably more about growing the brand of the club on a global scale rather than what the former Manchester United man would deliver on the pitch.
Yet Beckham still showed his class in his final matches at the elite level.
Lavezzi retired in 2019 after a stint in the Chinese Super League. Although he packed his trophy cabinet whilst in Paris, the exciting Argentine largely underwhelmed. His rash finishing in front of goal often left supporters frustrated.
READ: The last goodbye: Remembering David Beckham’s emotional PSG farewell
AM: Blaise Matuidi
The French midfielder joined PSG in 2011 from Saint-Etienne. He spent six trophy-laden years at the club before seeking a new challenge at Juventus.
Matuidi retired late last year, having spent the twilight of his career playing for Beckham’s Inter Miami in MLS.
AM: Javier Pastore
The Argentine joined PSG from Palermo for €42million in 2011 and remained in Paris until 2018. Despite enjoying a sensational first season – scoring 13 times in 33 appearances – Pastore mostly struggled to justify his hefty price tag thereafter.
He failed to score or assist in 15 La Liga appearances for Elche before terminating his contract in January, subsequently signing for Qatar SC.
ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Alongside Beckham, the iconic Swedish striker was a figure in this team that grabbed the attention of the watching eyes. In his fourth and final season at the Parc des Princes, he became the club’s record single-season top scorer netting 38 goals.
Once PSG’s all-time top scorer, he’s since been surpassed by Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe. He’s still going at the age of 41 at AC Milan, although his role these days as largely as a cheerleader from the sidelines.
READ: Ranking 12 of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s best goals in order of ridiculousness
ST: Kevin Gameiro
PSG signed Gameiro to bolster their attacking options in 2011. Firing in 19 goals in 59 Ligue 1 appearances represented a healthy return from the forward at the French giants. But Blanc let the France international leave in 2013 to join Sevilla in a reported €10millon deal.
After further stints in Spain at Valencia and Atletico Madrid, Gameiro has now returned to his homeland – he plays for Strasbourg.