Good Goodbye David Beckham...
Fabio Capello has made up his mind not to include Beckham in future international duty for England due to age factor. But to me, Beckham even at 35, is still an X-Factor in the England squad and still an icon in world football. You name it - 30 yards, 25 yards, 40 yards and even 70 yards. Beckham can still score many amazing goals in his career...
many top international goalkeepers had been beaten by the super bending of the ball whenever Beckham step forward to execute a free kick. The ball can go high, low, left, right, extreme left and right but will always end up at the back of the net.
Beckham scored many wonderful goals from set pieces beginning from his early playing career at Manchester United, followed by Real Madrid and now LA Galaxy.
However Beckham is still very much an utility player for LA Galaxy.. His skills comes with good looks and charms.
He is one of the most handsome footballers of all time. Beckham even succeded in wooing one of the most glamorous girls in the world - Posh Spice or Victoria of the Spice Girls fame..
Beckham took part in 3 world cups - France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 and scored in all those 3 world cups - the first England player to do so.
Beckham was selected to play for England in the 2010 world cup in South Africa but an injury sidelined him.
But after more than 100 games, three World Cups and years living as an international icon, David Beckham's England career may be over for good.
England coach Fabio Capello said on Wednesday 11th August 2010, that the 35-year-old former captain, who has played 115 times for his country, is too old and will no longer be a part of his plans as he prepares for the 2012 European Championship qualifying campaign.
"I won't be picking him for any more competitive matches," Capello said after England beat Hungary 2-1 in a friendly at Wembley.
"David is a fantastic player, he was really important, but we have to see the new players for the future because the age is important for a lot of people, not only for David."
From his debut against Moldova in 1996 until his heart-breaking injury just before the 2010 World Cup, Beckham had been synonymous with the England team and his presence, not to mention his global appeal, will be fondly remembered and sadly missed.
Capello said Beckham, who trails only goalkeeper Peter Shilton's record of 125 England appearances, will have the chance to play in a friendly "farewell game."
"I hope he can play one more friendly game to say bye bye," Capello said.
Capello spoke while Beckham was in the United States training with the Los Angeles Galaxy for the first time in five months.
"Did I phone him before I went on television?" Capello said. "No. I think I will speak with him. We tried to speak with him. But I think David knows he has no future with the international team because we have to change. We tried to speak with him."
Beckham has repeatedly said he has no plans of retiring from playing for England. He went to the World Cup in South Africa in June as a member of Capello's off-field staff after being sidelined following Achilles' tendon surgery.
Speaking in Carson, California, before Capello's comments, Beckham had said: "I've always said that I won't retire from playing for my country, whether I never get picked again, play one more game or 10 more games. There are a lot of good young players coming through. We'll see."
The Galaxy said there would be no response Wednesday to Capello's comments, but Beckham's spokesman, Simon Oliveira, said the player isn't calling it quits.
"There has been no discussion of retirement," Oliveira said. "He will always be available for his country, when fit and if needed he will be there."
England captain Steven Gerrard said he expects Beckham to bounce back, just as he did after being dropped following the 2006 World Cup.
"I'm sure that if he hears that news, it'll drive him on and he'll try to prove people wrong and try to get back in the set-up because I know he loves playing for England," Gerrard said. "He's had some fantastic performances, some fantastic goals, memories. He was a fantastic captain. I've learned a lot from David and it's been a pleasure to play alongside him.
"If he has played his last game, he'll certainly be missed because, both on and off the pitch, he's a great guy."
Beckham missed out on a fourth World Cup after tearing an Achilles' tendon in March while on loan to AC Milan from the Galaxy to stay in shape for England during the Major League Soccer offseason. He resumed training Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Beckham didn't do any drills with the Galaxy but he participated in conditioning with training staff.
"The focus is on the team and preparing my tendon," Beckham said. "I've been hitting it so hard for the last two years, every month that it's obviously tough on my body. It's about getting back this season as soon as possible, playing the rest of the season and then taking the time to get the rest in, prepare my body and be ready for next season."
He is not expected to be fit for the Galaxy again until Sept. 4 in Chicago.
Beckham, who began his career at Manchester United in 1992, made his England debut against Moldova in September 1996.
The low point of his international career came at his first World Cup, in 1998, when he was sent off for petulantly kicking out at Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone. England lost the round of 16 match and some England fans hung effigies of Beckham.
Beckham managed to bounce back and captained the team at the 2002 World Cup under coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Beckham tearfully relinquished the England captaincy after the 2006 tournament, when England reached the quarterfinals for the second straight time. He was then dropped by coach Steve McClaren, but was restored as England's qualifying campaign for the 2008 European Championship faltered.
McClaren was fired in November 2008 after England failed to reach Euro 2008.
Despite initially falling out of favor under Capello before being restored to the team when both were at Real Madrid, Beckham's international career survived when the Italian took over as coach from McClaren.
Beckham often only appeared as a late substitute but played a role in 16 of the 21 matches under Capello before he was injured three months before the World Cup in South Africa.
Because of his influence in the camp, Beckham was taken to the World Cup in a non-playing role by Capello. He wasn't there in an official coaching role despite often appearing on the training field and at matches.
To those who doesn't know Beckham.. Well he was twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year.
In 2004 Beckham was the world's highest-paid footballer when taking into account salary and advertising deals.
Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champions League matches, was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004 and with such global recognition he has become an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.
Beckham was captain of England from 15 November 2000 until the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, during which he played 58 times, scoring many amazing goals via freekicks.
Since then he has continued to represent his country and earned his much-publicised hundredth cap for England against France on 26 March 2008. He is currently England's 2nd most-capped outfield player with 115 appearances after Peter Shilton.
Beckham's career began playing professional football with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time with the Red Devils, Manchester United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999.
Beckham however 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, Beckham left Real Madrid and signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer, MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy in the USA. Beckham's contract with Los Angeles Galaxy enabled him to become the highest player salary in MLS history, his playing contract worth USD$6.5 million per year
Thanks for all the sweet memories Beckham....
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