Fabio Capello calls time on David Beckham’s England career
The sole reason why David Beckham continues to play football nowadays is to represent his country, yet Fabio Capello’s announcement before last night’s friendly against Hungary seems to have signalled the end of the winger’s international career.
However, Beckham himself was unaware of the fact – he’d not even been consulted by the England boss. Capello said that the 35-year-old was “a little bit old” now and suggested that he won’t consider him again for selection.
The news will come as a huge blow to Beckham, who is currently England’s second-highest capped player with 115 appearances. Such an unceremonious end to his 14-year international career will have hurt Beckham, although it won’t deter him from trying to win a place back in the squad.
The LA Galaxy midfielder was with the England team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa this summer, but injury forced him out of Capello’s 23-man squad. Beckham was there in a coaching capacity, which was seen as more of a goodwill gesture from the England manager, although it now seems that the Italian is casting sentiment aside for the good of the team.
As perhaps the most popular and widely-recognised footballer on the planet, Capello’s decision has caused somewhat of a stir. But despite his status in the game, the fact remains that Beckham is now approaching the winter of his career, playing in a second-rate league and clearly slowing down at a rate of knots.
With the likes of Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott and Adam Johnson all in contention for the right-wing spot ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers, Beckham would have been aware that he had fallen quite low down the pecking order. However, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has never allowed setbacks or competition to keep him down.
From the abuse he received after being sent off at the 1998 World Cup finals in France, to winning his place back in Steve McLaren’s England side, via proving Capello wrong while at Real and helping the team to win the league title, Beckham has experience of bouncing back from difficult situations.
Only recently, the former England captain said in an interview that he believed he still had something to offer the national side, and still harboured a dream of playing in the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
All good things must come to an end, though, and if it wasn’t Capello making the call, then it would have been his successor. Beckham may well have been chasing Peter Shilton’s 125-cap record, but if this is to be the end of his international career then he will still be fondly remembered as an iconic former great.
He’s certainly produced some magic moments over the years. His glorious free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to send England through to the 2002 World Cup is regarded as one of the greatest-ever goals the country have scored; his winning penalty against Argentina at that World Cup sent the entire nation into raptures; and becoming the first England player to score in three World Cups in 2006 filled the supporters with pride.
With a new qualification campaign imminent, it now seems fitting for Beckham to retire from international football with grace, but not before the amicable send off that his service has so thoroughly deserved.
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