What, You Thought They’d Waste Beckham’s 100th Cap on the French?

By: Laurie | March 6th, 2008

I got my tickets to the France-England friendly in the mail just last week. Paris, March 26 at the Stade de France. (Personal aside: WOOHOO!!) And my first thought was, “I wonder if this might be the game where David Beckham gets his 100th cap at last? Wouldn’t that be fun to see?”

Hey, it could happen, right? Beckham has worked his butt off in the Galaxy’s preseason, playing the full ninety in every single game so his teammates can practice getting on the end of those wonderful crosses, free kicks and throughballs. And in the meantime he’s proving that he’s fit enough to go the distance. This is important, since England coach Fabio Capello gave Beckham’s fitness level as the reason he wasn’t called up for last month’s Switzerland friendly.

Only one niggling question remained: Would the England FA allow Capello to waste the PR opportunities provided by Beckham’s 100th cap on the French?

Of course we won’t know until Capello names his team for the France game, but it’s looking like the answer may be no. Instead the honor may come in what will probably be a friendly with the US at Wembley in May.

David Beckham could become closer to sealing his much-anticipated 100th international cap for England with a friendly against the USA at Wembley.

The FA is believed to be close to finalising an agreement for the proposed match on May 28 while talks with US soccer chiefs have reached an advanced stage, with the match looking likely to get the go-ahead.

Another friendly is also in the pipeline with England expected to play a friendly in the Caribbean against Trinidad and Tobago in early June.

If the FA seal the USA match, it would inevitably lead to speculation that David Beckham would play for England, as well as raising the profile of the match in the States.

So…let’s see… The options are to fill the Stade de France, or to fill Wembley. To give Paris the tourism dollars from fans traveling from England to the match, or to give them to England. To have Beckham play against French guys, or against Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan.

But of course political and financial considerations never affect team choices.

Some Related Stories:

Category: World Football

« Daily Dose.: 03.05.08 | Home | We Get to Watch Men’s Olympic Qualifiers! »

The Offside RSS Feeds

Steve

Laurie,Here is what i think:
If financial considerations do affect the team choice , then yes, Beck will play against the U.S.
However, since France is a One of the greatest team in the world(not that i like them but let's face it), and that winning against them would give confidence back to England, and also that we have a chance of winning witout Zidane in the French team, (who ate us alive last time we met him)maybe Cappelo could use Beck to motivate the team in Paris...
I mean, he can either play a great last Game footballwise or moneywise.
And one last point, France won't Enjoy much more "tourism pounds" by hosting a team with Beckham, i mean he was good and i am proud of him, but British fans give more importance to the footballer than to the "famous guy" and Beckham was never half as good as players like PELE, MARADONNA OR ZIDANE.
So i'd like him to play against France...just to give him the chance to play a great soccer game as opposed to a big freak show, sorry.
Frank

Laurie, don't know if you have seen this yet...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t...
bluemeanies

As opposed to the bribe in the form of a friendly for kick-back Jack w/T & T Rob?
Rob

I think Becks should be in the England set up, but to be honest, the idea of this friendly with the USofA makes me shudder as it is the biggest marketing gimmick ever*

*Unless its just an elobarote ruse to show Cappelo won't bow to that kind of nonsense by delibratly doing it for him not to pick him. Or something.
Laurie

"Should be" and "is" are often two very different things.

I will say that I also blog on the Galaxy, so I've seen all of the preseason games. Beckham's gone the full ninety in all but one. His free kicks aren't quite what they have been in the past, but his passes during the run of play are still excellent and his work rate is second to none. I think he deserves one more cap.
Chris

The only consideration Capello should have is if he's trying to build a new team for the World Cup in 2010 and he doesn't think Beckham will be in it he shouldn't pick him now.