- published: 16 Sep 2012
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AIK, Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɑː.i.ˈkɔː] (LSE: 0DI2), an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, (literally "The General Sports Club" or "The Public Sports Club"), when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering Stockholm City Centre. The club was formed in 1891 in central Stockholm and the football department was formed in 1896.
League champions in 2009, AIK are currently third in the all-time Allsvenskan table. The club holds the record for being the Swedish club with most seasons in the top flight. AIK qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage. The club is affiliated with the Stockholms Fotbollförbund.
Founded in 1891 by Isidor Behrens in Stockholm, at the downtown address of Biblioteksgatan 8, the club's full name, "Allmänna Idrottsklubben", translates to "The General Sports Club" or "The Public Sports Club". The name was chosen to reflect that the club was open for everyone, and also that athletics, at the time called "allmän idrott" in Swedish, was considered the club's main sport.
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English association footballer who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy. He has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance record for an outfield player.
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons, clinching the La Liga championship in his final season with the club. In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a five-year contract with them on 1 July 2007. While a Galaxy player, he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010. On 20 November 2011, he joined an elite group of players to have won three league titles in three different countries, when Los Angeles won their third MLS Cup.