Becks tries to remember it's 'soccer' now

David Beckham vowed to remember to keep calling football “soccer” today as he was given a ticker-tape welcome to America.

The 32-year-old who has signed a five-year deal with LA Galaxy set to bring him around €190m declared that everything was now “perfect” for him and Spice Girl wife Victoria.

Beckham, who left Madrid with the Primera Liga title, was formally presented as a member of the team in Los Angeles today.

He was showered in ticker-tape in true American style as he accepted his new team shirt in front of fans and said he was “honoured” by their welcome.

He beamed and waved to the crowd as Galaxy’s general manager Alexi Lalas described his arrival as “historic” while Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber praised his “tremendous integrity”.

The former England captain is seen as the man to raise the profile of Major League Soccer after becoming one of the most famous footballers in the world.

But Beckham, who made efforts to learn some Spanish while in Madrid, confessed to fans he was struggling to get used to the American lingo – forgetting to call football “soccer”.

He told fans: “For me the most important thing is my family, the second thing is the foot… soccer – I will get used to that at some point, I’m sorry.”

There was a decidedly mixed reaction from the crowd as he mentioned Manchester United and Real Madrid.

But the patriotic American fans applauded respectfully as he spoke about his commitment to England.

“In my career I have played for two of the biggest club sides in the world. Manchester United and Real Madrid. And I played for 11 years for my country and I still am playing for my country,” he said.

“And I have always looked for challenges in my career and something exciting in my life. Now my family and I have moved to Los Angeles – something we have been looking forward to, something we are very proud of and in our life everything is perfect.”

And he revealed he could still be playing in the US when he is pushing 40 - hinting that he hoped to stay on after his current deal with LA Galaxy which will take him to 37.

“This is one of the biggest challenges I’ve taken on in my career,” he said.

“To move to a different country, on the other side of the world, something that I’m looking forward to.

“I think potentially in the States soccer could be as big as it is everywhere else around the world and I’m very proud to be part of that and part of that for the next five years and maybe a few more years later.”

And, preparing for life in Tinsel Town, he added: “Thank you to everyone that has made this happen – made my dream come true.”