What England Will Miss Without David Beckham

It’s official: David Beckham will not be wearing the Three Lions at this summer’s showpiece. Hacked down by football’s silent assassin, the torn Achilles, Beckham‘s dream of representing his country at four World Cups has come to a dreadfully sad end. While Beckham jets around the globe in search of a quick fix, we contemplate what England will miss now that Becks won’t be on the plane to South Africa.

Leadership. David Beckham‘s leadership is second to none. A tried and tested veteran of the European game, Beckham captained England for five and a half years and 58 of his 115 international appearances. But even without the armband, Beckham remained an integral member of the squad. While there’s no doubt that Beckham would have spent most of his time in South Africa on the bench, the ability to call upon Goldenballs to gee up the team pre-match in the changing room would have been priceless to Fabio Capello.

Set-pieces. David Beckham is the only player in the England squad who has played at the highest level in England, Spain, Italy and America. And no matter where he plays, goalkeepers just can’t lay a finger on his set-pieces. The one part of his game that’s never aged, Beckham‘s free-kicks are the best in the business. Remember England v Greece in 2001? The Three Lions were 2-1 down in injury time heading for World Cup qualification elimination and up stepped Goldenballs to slam home a trademark bender. And who can England call upon in his absence? Can you really see Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard curling one in with time running down?

Media deflector. Ever since Beckham became a household name back in 1996 with his spectacular half-way line shot against Wimbledon, the global media have obsessed about the boy from Essex. Paparazzi have followed his every move from his days at Old Trafford right through to his injury plagued stint in the MLS. While Beckham‘s inclusion in the England squad would have enticed the inevitable media circus, Beckham‘s star would have steered the spotlight away from the likes of John Terry and Wayne Rooney, allowing them to concentrate on winning the trophy for the first time in 50 years.

Whether you feel Beckham‘s inclusion in England’s World Cup squad deserves credence, there’s no doubt it would have been the final chapter in an incredible story about hard work and perseverance.

100% commitment every time from David Beckham