The Portuguese coach's final season at Madrid has been blighted by divisions and a lack of trophies, but he is free to leave three years early from his contract after the final match on June 1 without any compensation involved. Mourinho will leave having won only a single Spanish league title — sandwiched between four Barcelona successes, including one this season — and one major domestic cup. Rafa Benitez's interim stint in charge of Chelsea will end after a postseason tour of the United States, having secured qualification for the Champions League and won the Europa League last week. Popular with fans and media alike in England — in stark contrast to his many fraught relationships in Spain — Mourinho appears to have repaired his relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to make a return to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard can't wait for Mourinho to return. The decision that enraged fans was dropping goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the captain of Madrid and Spain's world and two-time European championship-winning national team. [...] the bold decision didn't pay off — and Mourinho's final season ends with Madrid once again in Barcelona's shadow. Despite winning all of English football's major honors, Mourinho left in September 2007 following a power struggle with Abramovich.

At the end of his 1,500th game in charge of Man United on Sunday, the 71-year-old Scot bowed in front of thousands of applauding fans — and then bowed out of soccer for good. The most successful managerial career in British soccer history is over, leaving a void that might not be filled for generations. [...] what a thrilling way to bow out at West Bromwich Albion in central England — the first 5-5 draw in the Premier League on the back of a 13th championship for Ferguson. The official retirement party was last week at home when 76,000 fans at Old Trafford saluted Ferguson for delivering the record-extending 20 English league title for United. Referee Michael Oliver, only 1-year-old when Ferguson took charge of United in 1986, blew the whistle on his glittering career at the Hawthorns. After the match, the manager went over to bow to the United fans who had backed him as he waited until 1990 to win the first of 38 trophies for the club. After a brief taste of international soccer with Scotland at the 1986 World Cup, Ferguson was lured from Aberdeen to United in November 1986. [...] he has won 13 Premier League titles, the Champions League twice, five FA Cups, four League Cups, the European Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and 10 Community Shields. Before kickoff, West Brom's players formed a guard of honor for the champions and were then joined by the United team to usher Ferguson onto the pitch.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexicans often feel that billionaire Carlos Slim owns everything in their country, from telephone and Internet companies to banks and chain stores, but his latest acquisitive foray is meeting resistance after touching a national passion: soccer. Slim recently bought part of two of Mexico's first division soccer teams, setting up another showdown with television giants Televisa and TV Azteca, major players in the soccer field that are in turn trying to push their way into Slim's telecommunications and Internet markets. "What is evident in their business decisions is that Televisa is interested in entering Slim's mobile and broadband fields and Slim is interested in entering the soccer field, which has been under the monopoly of the two television networks," said telecommunications analyst Gabriel Sosa Plata, referring to the fact that the networks long had exclusive broadcast rights to the games of all 18 teams. Decio de Maria, president of the Mexican Soccer League, said that if there is a vote against a single person or company owning several teams, Slim wouldn't be obligated to sell one of his teams but he would be prevented from buying more first division teams. Slim's America Movil is a leading provider of cable and satellite television in Latin America but he has not been able to launch a network of his own in Mexico, something that could change after a recent approval of a reform that allows for more competition in the telecommunications sector.

PARIS (AP) — Never a stranger to the big stage, David Beckham was finally overwhelmed and reduced to tears as he went out in a burst of fireworks and cheers Saturday in his final home game for Paris Saint-Germain before retirement. There was an outpouring of hugs, cheers, song and congratulations — from teammates, opponents and even former president Nicolas Sarkozy. "To end my career in front of a crowd like that, with players like that, it's very special," Beckham said, adding that emotions had already started overpowering him before he was taken off. When it was Beckham's turn to climb onto the podium, the Beatles song 'Hello, Goodbye' rang out as the stadium's big screen beamed pictures of Beckham's short PSG career and flashed another message of thanks. After the final whistle, teammates hoisted Beckham off the ground and repeatedly tossed him in the air, putting a smile back on his face. PSG's players walked onto the field to a thunderous reception, with Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" reverberating. The game brought a stronger security presence, with about 150 riot police forming a ring inside the stadium in the second half. PSG clinched the league title last weekend, making Beckham the first English player to win the championship in four countries after title success with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ibrahimovic almost scored a minute later when Beckham's superb long pass sent him through, but the imposing Swede hesitated between heading the ball over goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux or taking it past him. Beckham set up the second goal in the 32nd with a corner kick from the left. Ibrahimovic blasted in a free kick from 30 yards into the top left corner for the third goal, setting a personal record with his 29th league goal of the season.

PARIS (AP) — With fans chanting his name, David Beckham began his final home game before retirement as captain of Paris Saint-Germain. PSG clinched the league title last weekend, making Beckham the first English player to win the championship in four countries after title success with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ibrahimovic almost scored a minute later when Beckham's superb long pass sent him through, but the imposing Swede hesitated between heading the ball over goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux or taking it past him. Ibrahimovic blasted in a free kick from 30 yards into the top left corner for the third goal, setting a personal record with his 29th league goal of the season.