Beckham determined to set World Cup record straight

David Beckham is hoping that it will be third time lucky in this World Cup.

The England captain's debut at the tournament, in France 98, famously ended in tears with his sending off in the second round defeat by Argentina.

Four years later he had established himself as the national team's most influential player but his impact in Japan was blunted by a lack of fitness following the metatarsal fracture he suffered before the tournament.

Now, having just turned 31, Beckham is preparing for what is likely to be his last World Cup and he admitted it was a relief to be heading for Germany free of concern over his physical state.

"I saw a headline in one of the papers that I'd promised to have my best ever World Cup," he said Friday, on the eve of England's final warm-up match against Jamaica.

"I don't think you can ever promise things like that but I will promise to give 110 percent in every game. Physically I feel great, my fitness levels are very high and so my confidence levels are very high as well."

"Last World Cup was very disappointing for me. You get a broken bone and it sets you back but this time, touch wood, things are going well."

Beckham also professes to be happy with a situation in which he is no longer regarded as the star of the team, with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard having moved ahead of him in terms of international recognition.

"You'd much rather be part of a team with the players we've got," Beckham said. "We've got players who have played at the highest level for two or three years now. They've won European Cups, they've won Premiership titles and they have played in some of the biggest games you can in football. To have players like that in the team is great."

Beckham's status as captain and automatic starter in Sven-Goran Eriksson's side has come under increasing scrutiny over the course of the three trophyless seasons he has endured at Real Madrid.

But any questioning of his role in Germany was cut short by his display in Tuesday night's 3-1 win over Hungary.

He had to settle for only two assists but Beckham's peerless delivery of cross from the right flank might have created four or five goals for his team-mates, vindicating Eriksson's belief in him as the best available option.

Lampard has become England's first choice penalty taker but Beckham, who lost that role after a number of high-profile misses, insists he will be ready to take one should one of the knockout clashes go to a shootout.

"I'd still get up for a penalty, because I'm that sort of person," he said. "For a start because I am captain and I have got to lead by example and have the confidence. If I didn't believe that I was going to score I wouldn't take one."

Despite his own unhappy experience in Japan, Beckham believes Wayne Rooney has a better chance of being fit for Germany following his own metatarsal fracture.

"Wayne's recuperation has gone a lot quicker than mine, I think," the captain said. "He was out of the (protective) boot a lot quicker. I had mine on for at least two and a half weeks and he was out of his in a week."

"Physically he is going to be fine because he is so young, he is healing very quickly because of his age. But we still have to careful because we don't want him coming back too early and then breaking down again and I'm sure Manchester United don't want that. Moving into this World Cup we need to have every player fit as possible but its going well for Wayne at the moment."