© EuroFootball.com
The career of the world's most popular player David Beckham in the England national team has most likely come to an end. Such speculations appeared in the English media because the new team manager Steve McClaren did not invite him to the friendly match against Greece on August 16th.
"I told David that I am preparing to make some changes, go in a different direction, and he did not fit into my plans," said S. McClaren, who still did not rule out the possibility of inviting the 31-year-old D. Beckham to the national team.
"After talking with Steve McClaren this week, I completely understand that the new coach wants to leave his mark by choosing the team and preparing for the next World Cup. I am proud to have played for the England national team for ten years and my passion for representing my country remains as strong as ever," Beckham said in his press statement.
S. McClaren stated that Beckham's reaction to the news that he would not have a place on the team made an impression on him: "I have great respect for David. He was a fantastic team captain, an excellent player, and still is a great player. He took the news very positively, although disappointed. I received the reaction I wanted, and his reaction was that he will continue to fight for his place in the team, and I will always leave the door open."
The Madrid Real defender stepped down from the captaincy after the World Cup, but stated that he wants to continue playing for the team, and despite not being invited to the squad, it is hoped that the player will not announce the end of his career in the England national team.
Beckham made his debut in the national team in the World Cup qualifying match against Moldova in September 1996 at the age of 21. At the end of 2000, the interim team manager Peter Taylor appointed him as the team captain for a friendly match against Italy, and later, under the management of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the player remained in these roles permanently.
Without a doubt, the highlight of Beckham's England career was the 2002 World Cup qualification tournament, when he scored an impressive penalty in the final minutes and equalized the result in the match against Greece, securing the team's ticket to the World Cup in Korea and Japan. The former star of "Man Utd" held the position of England captain in 58 matches, only behind Billy Wright and Bobby Moore (both with 90 matches) and Bryan Robson (65 matches) in this regard.
