The Canucks also fired assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown.

Vigneault, the Canucks’ all-time leader in coaching wins, led the club to six Northwest Division titles, two Presidents’ Trophy titles and an appearance in the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

But Vancouver was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in the past two seasons, including getting swept by the San Jose Sharks this year.

It was the first time in 12 years that the Canucks were swept in the postseason.

Vigneault has a 313-170-57 record over seven seasons in Vancouver, and a 33-32 record in the playoffs.

“We’re in a results-oriented business and if you look at the last two playoffs we’ve been in, we were the higher-seeded team but lost the first two games at home,” Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis said at a news conference Wednesday.

“We lost consecutive games in the last two playoff years, and there comes a point in time where the message has to change and we have to be better. And we simply didn’t get the result we expected.”

Gillis wouldn’t reveal the names of any coaches in the running to replace Vigneault, but said the team would have no problem attracting suitable candidates.

“We’re in a competitive business, but I think this is a stable, profitable organization that is in a hockey market,” he said. “I think it would be a very attractive place for a coach to come and coach.”

The move had been expected since the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs, but Gillis said he wanted to take time and ensure he was free of any emotion before making the decision.

It’s a tough end to a largely positive tenure in Vancouver for Vigneault, who guided his team through the demands of a lockout-shortened season in 2012-13.

“I am proud of many of the things we accomplished as a group these past seven seasons in Vancouver and only wish we were able to win the Canucks’ first Stanley Cup,” Vigneault said in a statement.

“I am a career coach, and it is what I love to do. I hope to coach again in this league and will always have good memories of my time and the fans in Vancouver.”

Vigneault kept a difficult goaltending situation from becoming a major distraction and secured home-ice advantage in the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

But the Canucks struggled this season with getting goals from secondary players.

Vigneault leaves after transforming the Canucks from a struggling club into a perennial contender. He was also recognized for his role in turning the Canucks around when he was awarded the 2007 Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year.

Vigneault thanked Gillis, the Aquilini family, other Canucks executives and players as well as former GM Dave Nonis, who hired him, and former Canucks executive Steve Tambellini.

“The past seven years have been an honor for me to coach and work for a great franchise in a wonderful Canadian city,” Vigneault said. “To work in a city with such passionate and loyal fans is a privilege — I enjoyed every moment of it.”

When he arrived in 2006-07 after a season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, the Canucks were looking to regroup after missing the playoffs. He was also looking to prove himself after being fired from his first NHL head coaching job with the Montreal Canadiens in 2000-01.

In his first season, he guided the Canucks to a division title and a spot in the second round of the playoffs before they were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in five games — with four decided by one goal.

Although the Canucks missed the playoffs the following season due to a collapse down the stretch, they rebounded in 2009-10, again reaching the second round before losing a tough six-game series to Chicago.

The next season, he guided the Canucks to their third Stanley Cup final berth in franchise history. They took a 2-0 series lead at home but eventually lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. The Game 7 loss at home sparked a riot in city streets.

The Stanley Cup final foreshadowed a shift in goaltending that would become a headache for Vigneault. Cory Schneider periodically replaced struggling starter Roberto Luongo in the series.

Vigneault managed to prevent any potential rifts between Luongo and Schneider and limited distractions to the team.

He answered endless questions about his goaltenders, especially after Schneider displaced Luongo in the first round of the 2011-12 playoffs as the Canucks lost in five games to the Los Angeles Kings.

The situation was supposed to be resolved after Luongo agreed to waive his no-trade clause prior to the 2012-13 season, but Gillis was not able to get the deal he wanted prior to the lockout that shortened the regular season to 48 games.

When the season started, the Canucks struggled at times with the compressed schedule and had numerous injuries. But they managed to pull away from the Minnesota Wild in the race for the Northwest crown and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Vigneault guided his club to eight wins in its last nine home games, including a 3-1 victory over first-place Chicago that secured the Canucks’ fifth straight Northwest title.

But Schneider was injured in the Chicago game and didn’t come back until after the first two games of the San Jose series.

Luongo was solid in the first two losses in Vancouver, but Vigneault went with Schneider when the series switched to San Jose.

Schneider struggled in the third period of Game 3, allowing three quick goals, and mishandled the decisive shot in Game 4 in overtime before Patrick Marleau poked home the loose puck for the series-clinching goal.

Notes
Canucks center Jordan Schroeder underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to recover by the start of the 2013-14 season. Gillis said no other players should require surgery. … Goaltending coach Rollie Melanson was retained. “I think Rollie works very well with Cory Schneider,” Gillis said. “He gets results in there.” … Gillis indicated management, along with the new coach, will have input in the hiring of the next assistant coaches.

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Luongo showed his frustration with his contract and his current status as a backup goaltender Wednesday during a news conference with the Vancouver media.

“My contract sucks — that’s what’s the problem,” Luongo said. “I’d scrap it if I could now.”

“I think that he was very emotional,” Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said. “I think these days are emotional for everybody. I think he said that in a highly emotional state. I’d like to give him the opportunity to catch his breath and have a discussion with him.”

Luongo will spend the remainder of the season in Vancouver and will back up starter Cory Schneider, who has seized the starting job with a 2.27 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

A three-time All-Star, Luongo hasn’t started a game since March 18.

“It’s a tough situation for everybody, no doubt,” Luongo said following Wednesday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. “We’re obviously trying to make the best out of it and making sure that what’s best for both sides is done. Obviously, the time isn’t now, and we’ll have to wait.”

Luongo acknowledged that the remaining nine years on his contract made a trade especially challenging. His average salary cap hit is $5.33 million per season.

“I do feel obligated to trade Roberto and get him into a position where he’s happy,” Gillis said. “The needs of our team also play a role in this. Trying to balance them is a difficult thing. We’ve been doing that for six months.”

According to ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs had discussions with the Canucks regarding Luongo, but the two sides couldn’t find a match. Luongo can reject any deal but claimed that it never came to that, even though he was pulled from practice early Wednesday.

“There was obviously some teams that were interested,” Luongo said. “Nothing ever materialized to a point where I had to give a decision whether I was going to waive or not. What the future holds is something you try not to think about.”

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“I sure didn’t see this effort coming,” Collins said to open his extremely candid postgame news conference. “I thought we played incredibly hard against Miami. I thought we played incredibly hard in New York on Sunday. And this is mind-numbing to me. We went up 29-20, and from that point on, I couldn’t even tell you what occurred.”

The Sixers struggled mightily down the stretch in Tuesday’s 98-84 loss, their sixth consecutive defeat. A trendy preseason pick to contend for the Atlantic Division title, Philadelphia (22-33) fell a season-high 11 games below .500.

“I’m disappointed, I really am,” he said. “There was so much this season that we were looking forward to. But it just seems like every time we turn around, it’s been something else.”

Philadelphia has lost all four of its games since the All-Star break, but Collins would not comment on whether or not his players had become “comfortable” losing.

“I told you, I did not think our guys prepared themselves during the break to come back to play,” he said.

Collins also acknowledged reaching out to his players in an attempt to “be a better leader.” But the 61-year-old Collins also emphasized that his players need to commit to improvement.

“Sometimes you’ve got to help yourself,” he said. “Youth is a very blaming thing. … I usually go to them. And after a while, the talk gets old. It just does — at some point in time, you’ve just got to play.

“They say it’s a players’ league. Well then take ownership. That’s all I’m asking — take ownership of what you’re putting out there.”

Collins cited Andrew Bynum’s health on several occasions during his 11-minute conference. But Collins did not use Bynum’s season-long absence as a reason for his team’s lack of preparation or effort.

“We are a team that the least, little change affects us,” he said. “All of the sudden the starting lineup changes again — we have guys that don’t deal well with that. We’re not a team that rolls with it that easily.

“I don’t want you to feel like I’m up here blaming. I don’t want you to think I’m making excuses. That’s not what this is about. … I’m a guy who when I have coached, I’ve always been able to find some answers. And I have not been able to find answers, and from my standpoint that is very disappointing, because I’m paid to do that.”

A four-time All-Star during his eight-year career as a guard for the Sixers, Collins has compiled a 98-105 record in his two-plus seasons as Philadelphia’s coach.

“I wish I knew [why we’re struggling],” Collins said. “I really do. I’m sitting there — I gave my body to this franchise. I was never booed as a player, never. I ran through my sneakers. … There cannot be a game where you just go out and don’t put your heart and soul into the game. We had an off-day, we’ve been on the All-Star break — there’s no reason for that, none.”

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Cazorla opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but Villa came back strongly and equalized through Andreas Weimann after the break.

Arsenal threw everything at Villa keeper Brad Guzan, but the Gunners could not find a way past until Cazorla found the net with five minutes remaining — saving his manager from another ear-bashing from the supporters who have started to doubt whether the Frenchman is the right man to lead the club forward.

Many had questioned whether Wenger had lost the plot this week with a bizarre news conference rant sandwiched in between two disappointing defeats to Blackburn and Bayern Munich.

Some of those doubters will not have been convinced by this performance. Wenger’s men were often sloppy in possession, looked edgy at the back, and their propensity to want to walk the ball in to the net caused a huge amount of frustration among the home crowd at a sparsely populated Emirates Stadium.

After the match, Wenger took aim at his critics once more. When asked whether these had been “dreadful times”, Wenger replied: “Of course. But you do your job and focus on the next game. That’s what I did.

“I’m not 30 years in this job at the top level to be destroyed by people saying I don’t know what I’m doing. (If I was) I would have stopped this job a long time ago. But we have responsibilities and have to stand up and get the team ready to fight.”

Whatever criticisms are aimed at Wenger — whether it be his match tactics or his transfer policy — there is no doubt he possesses players who can turn the game with a bit of magic. Cazorla is certainly of them.

The Spaniard, who now has 11 goals for the club, drifted in and out of the game, but he took his two strikes brilliantly.

“Santi Cazorla played very well and delivered in a game that was very important. He’s a great player,” Wenger said. “He has shown he’s a great football player and I’m happy and grateful he delivered those two important goals today.

“I didn’t expect him to score so many goals for us. He has 11 games to go so he could get a few more. For me, he’s a complete football player because he also has spirit. He was a bit tired in the last few minutes, but he continued to fight. He’s a good example to follow. He’s happy to come and play and practice every day, and he gives you absolutely everything on a football pitch.”

The win puts pressure on Tottenham, which now has a one-point advantage over their rival for fourth place ahead of a game at West Ham on Monday.

Villa remains one point above the relegation zone, and on this evidence, certainly has the players to stay up.

Watched by owner American owner Stan Kroenke, making a rare visit to north London, Arsenal started well.

Jack Wilshere capitalized on a poor backpass and raced at goal, but the midfielder fired straight at the American Guzan.

Cazorla then lifted the quiet atmosphere inside the Emirates with Arsenal’s opener in the sixth minute.

Nathan Baker blocked Cazorla’s initial shot after some good work by Wilshere, but the Spaniard made no mistake with his second effort, slotting past Guzan with a beautiful curling effort.

Urged on by an animated Paul Lambert from the touchline, Villa looked to hit straight back. Charles N’Zogbia raced down the right past Thomas Vermaelen and pulled the ball back for Gabriel Agbonlahor, but Wojciech Szczesny saved.

N’Zogbia cantered down the flank moments later, but Agbonlahor was unable to keep up with him and he arrived just too late to tap in the Frenchman’s cross.

Weimann was the next man to charge at the Gunners defense. He laid the ball off to N’Zogbia, but Szczesny parried well before Thomas Vermaelen hooked the ball clear.

Villa’s attacks led to a nervous atmosphere inside the Emirates, but Theo Walcott brought them to the edge of their seats with a teasing curler that flew inches over Guzan’s goal.

Villa continued to pour forward, however. Matt Lowton nutmegged Abou Diaby and entered the Arsenal box, but Vermaelen came to the rescue with a last-gasp tackle. Lowton caught the Belgian in his follow-through and was booked for the foul. Diaby then entered the book for a clumsy challenge on N’Zogbia.

Arsenal’s passing was often sloppy and the home fans became annoyed at the Gunners’ attempts to pass the ball in to the net.

The hosts did produce an impressive move just before the break, though, with Cazorla finding Olivier Giroud, but Guzan was equal to the Frenchman’s effort.

Arsenal started to dominate the game again after the break but again was reluctant to shoot on goal, much to the annoyance of the home crowd.

With Arsenal throwing so many players forward, the Gunners were left vulnerable at the back.

Weimann went on another rampaging counter down the right and crossed for Agbonlahor, but the forward headed wide.

Wenger was forced into a change just after the hour when Diaby hobbled off with another injury. Aaron Ramsey came on in his place.

Villa then stunned the home side by equalizing. Carl Jenkinson failed to clear a long punt down field, the ball made its way to Weimann and he went on a blistering 40-yard run before beating Szczesny with a weak shot.

Wenger rose from his bench and cast a disappointed glare at his team. His troubles nearly worsened soon after when Christian Benteke found space at the back post, but Per Mertesacker got in front of the Belgian before he could head on goal.

Wenger gambled, throwing Lukas Podolski on for Jenkinson, and Arsenal pressured the visitors’ box.

Guzan saved brilliantly to deny Giroud from point-blank range as Arsenal continued to pile forward.

Arsenal got its reward five minutes from time when Nacho Monreal swung the ball into the box and Cazorla converted, much to the relief of Wenger and the home fans.

Lambert was disappointed to see his team come away with nothing despite a pleasing display.

“We shouldn’t have lost it,” he said. “We were exceptional in parts of that game and we should have been in the lead at halftime. At the very least we should have come away with a point.”

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The NFLPA president added he wouldn’t be able to persuade players to have faith in the league even if he wanted to.

Speaking on a conference call Tuesday, days before union representatives meet with NFL officials at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Foxworth returned to a theme he stressed at the NFLPA’s pre-Super Bowl news conference.

“It’s pretty obvious that there’s a gap in what would be a reasonable amount of trust …” Foxworth said. “There’ve been a number of events to lead players to believe they cannot trust the league.

“There was a bridge beginning to be built and then there were some recent events that kind of broke that bridge again.”

Foxworth said the players are seeking checks and balances such as a neutral arbitrator to improve relations between the union and league. He cited the bounties and how former commissioner Paul Tagliabue was not “unbiased.”

Yet Tagliabue made the final decision that tossed out the suspensions of four players.

“When things like that happen,” the former defensive back said of Tagliabue’s appointment by Goodell, “it’s hard for our players to believe that the league has their best interests in mind. And that makes it harder for me to do my job, and for the PA to do our jobs and for the league to do their jobs. Because we really need to agree upon things, moving forward.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello insisted that the union has not looked ahead since a new collective bargaining agreement with the league was reached a year and a half ago.

“Since 2011 the union has spent most of its time backing away from its commitments,” Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press. “Whether on old litigation, HGH, or commissioner discipline, the NFLPA has consistently looked backwards.

“Trust is a two-way street. If the union wants to work together to build a better, safer and even more popular game, we extend our hand in partnership and respect. If the union wants to stir up old grievances and create mistrust, we will simply have to do the best we can to serve the interests on the fans, players and the game.”

Key issues Foxworth and other union officials will discuss with the NFL’s competition committee in Indianapolis involve player safety, including the league’s plan to make hip and thigh pads mandatory next season.

Many players have spoken out against such a requirement, saying using the pads should be optional. The NFL believes the pads will substantially reduce injuries or wear and tear on players.

Union spokesman George Atallah also mentioned a gap in trust when asked if the players have confidence in team medical staffs. Atallah said the union has weekly and even daily conversations with the league about team doctors and whether their allegiance is to the players or the clubs.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said last week he is concerned about David Chao remaining as the San Diego Chargers’ team doctor. According to online records, the Medical Board of California is seeking to revoke Chao’s license and has referred the case to the state attorney general for possible charges.

Foxworth generally didn’t sound optimistic about quickly improving relations between the union and league, again citing the lack of trust.

“And if everything that we bring back to our players — every proposal that the league makes to us, we bring back to our players — and if they receive it from a negative place because they don’t trust anybody on Park Avenue,” he said, “then it’s really hard to get anything done.”

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In a news conference introducing the Dallas Cowboys coaches for the 2013 season, Callahan downplayed any potential changes within the structure of the offensive staff.

“I checked my ego at the door a long time ago,” said Callahan, who has called the offensive plays with the Oakland Raiders and the University of Nebraska, where he was a head coach.

“It doesn’t matter who calls the plays. We know what the play is going to be so there’s no guessers, no surprises and I think the players can tell you that as well. If you’re a good football team and you have an identity of what you’re doing, they can tell you the play that’s going to be called and featured in that particular down and distance, there’s no mystery,” he said.

There seems to be a mystery regarding the playcaller, especially after team owner/general manager Jerry Jones wanted to make change within the coaching staff by saying he wanted people uncomfortable. Jones said it would be Garrett’s decision to decide if he didn’t want to call the offensive plays anymore.

Callahan said he embraces Jones’ thoughts and he hasn’t spoken to the owner regarding the playcalling but, “I would be very happy to speak with him.”

The Cowboys had the seventh-best offense in the league yet there was some game mismanagement issues with Garrett and the running attack finished 31st overall. Each year, Garrett said he’s delegated duties to other offensive coaches. However, after the 2012 season, Garrett said he expected the status quo to remain in terms of calling the plays.

Jones changed the dynamic at Valley Ranch insisting his coaching staff be open minded about things. Garrett has agreed, however, he won’t reveal if one of those changes is giving the play-calling duties to Callahan.

Garrett said the mechanics needed to be worked out before a final decision is made about the playcaller. When asked about the specifics, Garrett wouldn’t say.
“I got the upmost confidence in Coach Garrett and what he believes and how he wants to go about the process of going through playcalling, whatever it may be,” Callahan said. “So be it. My job and my function as an assistant is to serve the head coach and I’m going to do that to the best of my ability every day I come to work you put your best foot forward and compete.”

Callahan dismissed the notion that he would have to implement the West Coast offense, something he used with the Raiders, over Garrett’s timing-based passing attack.

Callahan said he’s been around long-enough to work with any offensive system. The only difference is the terminology.

“Again, I’ve partaken in playcalling during the games here,” Callahan said. “I’ve done it at several places. It’s a group effort whether it’s collecting thoughts on the sidelines between series as to what plays we’d like to run and getting those ideas from the staff, whether it’s doing it while we are online during the course of a series, whether it’s on the sidelines and somebody’s the primary caller, it really doesn’t matter because I just hearken back to the point I made about preparation of the game plan. It’s a group effort.”

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But there is not expected to be much interest. In fact, one NFL general manager said this week: “I think his career is over without playing another position.”

The one team to express interest in Tebow last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars, is no longer interested. After a season with the Jets, Tebow finds that his prospects of starting in the NFL are dim.

“I can’t imagine a scenario in which he’ll be a Jacksonville Jaguar — even if he’s released,” new Jaguars general manager David Caldwell said at his introductory news conference last month.

The first day the Jets would be able to trade Tebow would be March 12, and they want to see if there’s any other team out there willing to surrender a mid- to late-round draft pick for the quarterback who helped the Denver Broncos win a playoff game last season.

There are members of the Jets organization who regret not giving Tebow a chance last season to prove whether he could succeed at quarterback.

In all, Tebow was used for just 73 offensive plays for the Jets (6-10) this season.

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Imagine how effective they could be if they worked together.

At their joint news conference Friday, someone asked the brothers if they would consider teaming up should either be forced out of his current post.

“No question about it,” John said. “We’ve had that conversation in the past. It just never really worked out timing-wise. I’d love to work for Jim. It would be the greatest thing in the world.”

Jim, coach of the San Francisco 49ers, said, “Definitely, I would work for him.”

Super Bowl tradition dictates that the coaches meet with the media separately two days before the Super Bowl. That custom was altered Friday because, after all, two brothers have never before coached against each other in the Super Bowl.

Wearing a dark suit, white shirt, striped tie and lace-up dress shoes, John settled into a director’s chair behind a Ravens helmet. Jim, wearing a 49ers hat, a sweatshirt, khaki pants and running shoes, sat in an identical chair behind a San Francisco helmet.

Calling it “an exciting moment,” John ticked off the names of family members in attendance, including his parents. They posed for pictures with grandfather Joe Sepidi on the stage afterward, too.

Jack Harbaugh, their father, was a successful college coach. His sons followed in his footsteps, but on different paths. There was one time, however, when the routes nearly merged.

“We almost made it happen at Stanford at one time,” John said. “It would be an honor to have him on the staff. He’s a great coach. You always try to get great coaches, and there are none better than Jim Harbaugh, and I mean that seriously. There’s no better coach in the National Football League than this guy right here.”

To which Jim added, “Well, Jack Harbaugh.”

The family coaching tree could run even deeper one day. Jim’s son, Jay, works for John as a coaching intern with the Ravens.

“He’s far better than we’ve anticipated, and I knew he would be great at what he does,” John said.

The brothers obviously had a lot of fun with the situation, joking with each other and sometimes acting like a comedy team.

Someone asked them to list their commonalities and philosophical differences.

“I would be hard-pressed to spell philosophical right now,” Jim said.

“I know he can’t spell commonalities,” John said, not missing a beat.

Although Jack Harbaugh has received much of the credit for molding the boys into coaches, the brothers revealed that their mother, Jackie, had a great deal of influence on their growth into men.

“There is no one in the family who has more competitive fire than my mother,” Jim said. “She competes like a maniac. She has just always believed in us, and I think that is the most important thing to me. She believed in me, John, and Joanie, and took us to games and played catch with us, shot baskets with us, and just believed in us.”

Said John: “No one would fight harder for us than our mom, no matter what the situation was, or teach us how to have each other’s back and be there for one another. We may have been talking football with Dad in the basement, but Mom was talking about other things. There were a lot of things going on in our world during the ’70s, and Mom was always tuned in on those kinds of things.”

Someone asked the brothers whether they considered how they will handle the postgame handshake. Jim Harbaugh enraged Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz for giving him a quick handshake and a hard backslap after a 2011 game.

“I’ve given absolutely no consideration to the postgame handshake or bear hug or anything else,” John said. “I haven’t thought about that for one second. Have you, Jim?”

“I have not,” Jim confirmed.

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At his annual state of the NFL news conference Friday, Goodell said he expects an agreement for the tests to be reached in time for the start of the 2013 season.

Goodell noted that the league and union agreed to the testing two years ago in the collective bargaining agreement. He said it is important to have testing to retain the integrity and the brand of the league.

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The 37-year-old former England captain joined PSG after turning down several other offers and pledging to effectively play for free. He was presented Thursday at the French club’s Parc des Princes stadium after passing his physical.

No financial details were given as to how much Beckham’s salary would be or the name of the charity. Beckham said the decision was taken early Thursday morning.

“It’s something I’m excited about and now it has finally happened,” Beckham said during the news conference Thursday. “I am very lucky because I got more offers than I have probably had in my career, at my age. I chose Paris because I can see what the club are trying to do. Now there is a club that is going to have a lot of success over the next 10, 15, 20 years. To be part of something with this growth is exciting to me.”

Of his five-month contract, Beckham said he wants to help the club “grow” regardless of the length of his stay.

“I don’t expect to come into this team and play in every single game. I don’t expect to start. I have to work for that,” he said. “It is a bonus they are in the Champions League. I’ve been lucky to win it in the past and I know how important it is for clubs.”

Beckham said he was not sure when he would make his debut with the club.

“I don’t’ know. This literally all happened at 1 a.m. this morning and it was only finalized at 11 a.m. this morning,” he said. “I’ve been training at Arsenal so it won’t take me long to get up to speed. I definitely won’t be ready next Friday but in a few weeks. No matter what my age, I still feel 21 most days.”

The Qatari-owned Ligue 1 club has been the highest-spending club in Europe in the past year. Beckham said he will donate a “huge sum” of his salary to a children’s charity in Paris.

On his Facebook page, Beckham posted a photo of himself with the comment: “On way to Paris, excited. I will update you all later.”

The 37-year-old former Manchester United star had been considering offers from clubs around the world after leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy in December to end a six-year stint in Major League Soccer.

PSG is in the Champions League knockout stage, which gives Beckham the prospect of winning a league title in a fourth country. The club faces Valencia on Feb. 12 and March 6.

Beckham joins a roster of international stars accumulated by PSG over the past two years, since the Qatari investment company bought a majority share in the club in May 2011.

The team includes Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (who leads Ligue 1 with 19 goals), Brazil’s Thiago Silva and Lucas, and Argentina’s Ezequiel Lavezzi. Those four were bought last summer for a total of $140 million.

PSG currently leads French Ligue 1, in search of the club’s first league title in 19 years.

MLS Before & After Beckham
Numbers 2006 2012
Teams 12 19
Soccer stadiums 2 13
Avg salary $85,329 $179,166
Avg attendance 15,504 18,807<< >>MLS record
Source: ESPN Stats & Info

David Beckham skyrocketed to fame at Manchester United, where he debuted in 1992 at age 17. He won six Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies and the 1999 Champions League as part of United’s famed treble-winning side.

In the summer of 2003, he transferred to Real Madrid for $41 million. After falling out of favor and failing to win a league title in his first three seasons, Beckham finished well, playing his way back into the starting lineup as Madrid won La Liga in 2007, clinching the title in Beckham’s final match.

In January of 2007, Beckham announced he was heading to Los Angeles. After signing a contract with a total value of $250 million, he and the Galaxy failed to make the playoffs his first two seasons. But they reached the MLS Cup in three of his last four years, winning titles by beating Houston in 2011 and 2012.

Forbes said Beckham earned $46 million from salary ($4 million with the LA Galaxy) and endorsements in 2012, ranking him 35th on the Forbes Celebrity 100 List as the world’s highest-earning soccer player.

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