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Beckham closes in on WCup spot, AC Milan loan

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-15 09:20

WEMBLEY, England: Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham said a loan move back to AC Milan was 95 percent done after helping England end its World Cup qualification campaign on a high on Wednesday.

England's David Beckham crosses the ball during the World Cup 2010 qualifying soccer match against Belarus at Wembley Stadium in London, October 14, 2009. [Agencies]

The 34-year-old Beckham lifted England's tempo when he came on for the last 30 minutes against Belarus, setting up the second goal with his first touch as the team won 3-0 at Wembley Stadium.

Whether Beckham goes to a fourth World Cup next June is dependent on securing a move to a top European club.

That looks a certainty, with the deal to return to the Serie A almost complete, although on hold until the Galaxy season ends next month.

"It's close," Beckham said. "I've always said I want to go back there if they want me. AC Milan have said they wanted me back since I left to go back to the United States and they're saying the same now.

"It's 95 percent done so I don't know why it wouldn't happen now. It will be sorted out in the next month (after the playoffs) and I will probably be going there at the end of December."

While there was little surprise that Beckham was Milan-bound, there was at Wembley when he was named man of the match despite entering the match only in the 58th minute. It was awarded, though, by former Manchester United teammate Steve Bruce, who was working as a TV pundit.

"I'm a little bit embarrassed," Beckham said.

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Even Capello was taken aback, comparing the top US-based player with the country's president winning the Nobel Peace Prize last week.

"I just told him it was like Obama getting the Nobel Prize after (ten) months of being president," Capello said. "Beckham gets (man of the match) after 30 minutes.

"When Beckham plays for 20 minutes, 50 minutes, 30 minutes, half an hour, half time, he's always focused. This is important. Sometimes some players as a substitute have some problems to play normal. David plays always well."

And he demonstrated why Capello persists in selecting him and plans to take him to South Africa.

"We all have to prove with every game and every training session that we want to be in the squad for every game," Beckham said. "Not just the World Cup, but every qualifier and every time we meet up."

Immediately after coming on - much to the crowd's delight - Beckham sent a short corner to Shaun Wright Phillips on the edge of a crowded penalty area to score England's second goal in the team's last competitive match before the World Cup. Beckham also hit the post late on.

After failing to reach the 2008 European Championship, England completed qualifying with 9 wins and one loss, scoring more goals than any other team in Europe.

"It has been exceptional," Beckham said. "As a group we are together and we qualified so early in a good way. It doesn't end there because we have to keep on performing in every game we play leading up to the World cup and every time we meet up we have to be focused and be ready.

"I will carry on working hard and playing well to give myself a chance to go to the World Cup."

There, Beckham could break England's all-time appearance record. By earning his 115th cap on Wednesday, Beckham was within 10 of retired goalkeeper Peter Shilton.