Becks silences critics.

Byline: SIMON LEWIS

DAVID Beckham believes the Los Angeles Galaxy's success this season has helped silence the critics who believed his time in Major League Soccer had been a failure.

The Galaxy play Real Salt Lake in front of more than 40,000 fans at Qwest Field on Sunday night in the league-title-deciding MLS Cup final.

The game will mark the end of an American soccer season which began with its most high-profile player overseas on an extended loan spell in Italy with AC Milan.

Having negotiated a longer stint in Serie A rather than return to the Galaxy for the start of the season in March, Beckham returned to the States in mid-July to criticism from team-mate Landon Donovan and boos from Los Angeles fans.

The England midfielder has won both Donovan and the fans over with his performances since then and has "quietened" his critics as the Galaxy topped the Western Conference standings at the end of the regular season and got through two play-off rounds to set up Sunday night's showdown with Real Salt Lake.

Special "Picking up a trophy at the end of the season is always special," Beckham said. "We've worked hard all season and we deserve to be here. There's been a few bumps in the road along the way and that kind of thing happens. But I think we've quietened a few people this year, so we're happy on that point."

Beckham praised his teammates for changing things round under head coach Bruce Arena having finished last season at the bottom of the table.

"It's just the effort of the players. That's been the biggest thing," he said.

"Someone asked me the other day what's motivated me and what's motivated the team to perform the way we have.

"Every morning I'm motivated by just getting into training and working hard.

"It's just been one of those years where there has been a few obstacles and it's about how teams and individuals respond to those obstacles.

"We've responded the right way; we've done it on the field and kept quiet off it."

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TROPHY: David Beckham.