Beckham has already tasted success in Spain

The Real Madrid midfielder said events away from the pitch - including his parents' divorce, the birth of his second son Romeo and an alleged kidnap plot involving his wife Victoria - prompted him to question his future.

But in an interview in Saturday's Sun newspaper, Beckham admits he is glad he carried on playing.

"I'm sure people will read it and think 'surely not, he's just saying that to get a reaction', but it was a serious thought of mine," Beckham said.

"I never told anyone else apart from Victoria and my agent Tony Stephens.

"I really seriously considered it."

Beckham admitted that his poor relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson had added to his disillusionment.

"That was one of the reasons why I was so unhappy. I don't know whether it was the right thing to mention it to him," he said.

"In the end, because I went in and had a talk with him about something else, it smoothed out a little bit more."

Beckham insisted his dark days were now behind him, and said he looked forward to the challenge of playing in the Primera Liga for Real Madrid.

"It's a challenge that's an exciting one and a hard one. But it's a challenge that I put myself up for and I feel that I can go all the way."