France EURO 2008 Mini Soccer Ball

Country: France #606404 Get ready to cheer on LES BLEUS in EURO 2008!

David Beckham has been one of England's finest ever footballers. He may not have the control and skill of the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, or Zidane, but his ability to pass the ball over distance, hit a dead ball, and in particular, deliver a cross into a dangerous area, is second to none. His career has taken him from the great treble winning Manchester United side, to the exciting Spanish La Liga winners Real Madrid. These are arguably the two biggest football clubs in the world, and David Beckham has been, and remains, a hero at both.

Becks has ninety-nine England caps to his name, many as captain, and one can only hope that the new England manager, Fabio Capello, his old boss in Madrid, will do the decent thing and allow him to get the one hundredth cap he so richly deserves.

The reason Beckham is so popular is not just his footballing ability or his Hollywood looks, it is the way he dealt with the adversity that his sending off in the 1998 World Cup quarter final against Argentina brought to his door.

English football fans around the country were burning effigies of the footballer and making death threats. He dealt with all that as a very young man, and showed courage and dignity. The sheer weight of his ability and his likable personality won over England and made him a hero.

The questions to answer are, firstly, can he win over America, and secondly, why has he chosen to play there whilst he is still good enough to play at the very top?

In terms of winning over America, I think he can become a popular figure. His marriage to Victoria, making her comeback with the Spice Girls, is big news, and they are likely to become media favorites. Neither Victoria nor David tend to shy away from the limelight and they are sure to prove a hit.

In relation to his footballing decision, I believe Becks may have made the decision too quickly. He agreed to the move when he appeared to have no future at Real Madrid with Capello leaving him out of the side. He made the decision for two reasons. Firstly, the obscene amount of money he was going to get paid, and secondly because Victoria would crave the LA lifestyle. These reasons are perfectly understandable and laudable. They were made with his wife and children at the forefront of his decision making.

What it does mean is that Becks has probably come to the end of his wonderful career as a top player, and whilst he may get that one hundredth cap, he is unlikely to get many, if any, more.

He will enjoy his time with LA Galaxy, and he will prove to be popular with the locals and the media. He will be happy, as will his wife. They will be financially secure forever, his children will grow up in a wonderful place, and he might just manage to raise the profile of the game in the States.

I say 'Good luck Becks' and thanks for all you've done for England.'

Graham Fisher
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