Beckham in danger of being Madrid outcast

What now for David Beckham? The question might seem premature as the dust has yet to settle on England's heartbreaking Euro 2004 exit, but it is one the national skipper must now address.

Beckham's third successive miss from the penalty spot in the sudden death shoot-out capped a miserable season for the Real Madrid star and leaves him as the biggest loser of Euro 2004.

Just when he needed a good tournament to re-establish himself as a world-class player, Beckham has had a nightmare.

And with new Real Madrid boss Jose Antonio Camacho understood to have serious misgivings about the former Manchester United midfielder, Beckham's future suddenly seems far from secure.

Last night's cruel exit at the hands of Portugal was the latest setback in a season of turmoil both on and off the field for the iconic 29-year-old.

Beckham could have silenced all the doubters by despatching the first spot-kick with a calm authority to prove all the problems of the past six months have in no way affected his football.

But as the inquests begin into England's exit, chief among the questions will be where Beckham must go and what he must do to regain his position as one of Europe's premier players.

The drone of car horns from jubilant Portugal fans was still ringing in Beckham's ears as he boarded the England team bus in silence, trying to comprehend the enormity of his country's agonising exit.

With Chelsea now concentrating on signing Steven Gerrard, Beckham may find himself in limbo next season.

Camacho is expected to complete a £15million deal in the next few days for Real Sociedad's star Xabi Alonso, whom he plans to build his new team around.

It was assumed Beckham would slot into his usual wide right berth at the Bernabeu for next season, with Luis Figo likely to move on. But Camacho likes Figo and has gone out of his way to praise the Portugal midfielder's performances at the European Championship.

They have contrasted sharply with Beckham's own stuttering form at Euro 2004, where Goldenballs has struggled to stamp his authority on games in the way he once did.

Already, rumours from the Madrid boardroom suggest the club are looking for a buyer for him.

Worryingly for Beckham, there is no other obvious destination for him, should Madrid try to sell after just one, unsuccessful season. And if he cannot find a new club , he will become no more than an understudy for the likes of Figo and Zidane.

Yet concerns over his individual future were not uppermost in Beckham's mind last night as he tried to come to terms with another failure by England in a major tournament. Just as he did when David Seaman collapsed in tears following England's exit from the World Cup, Beckham was there last night to put a comforting arm around the shoulder of Darius Vassell, who also missed his penalty. Beckham deserves credit for such a display. It would have been easy for him to have been lost in his own fog of anger and self-recrimination after his opening penalty miss.

That act said everything about Beckham and the way he almost drove his side to the brink of an extraordinary triumph after they had been bombarded by a relentless onslaught from Portugal.

But he faces much bigger questions as he embarks on his summer break with wife Victoria and sons Brooklyn and Romeo.

After this night of unrelenting drama which ultimately ended so cruelly, Beckham now finds himself at a crossroads in his career, with no obvious direction in sight.