Figo fitter than Beckham says former Real coach

Former Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz has rejected David Beckham's criticism of the training regime at the Spanish giants and says the England captain should train as hard as Luis Figo.

Beckham said after England's exit at the hands of Portugal in the semi-finals of Euro 2004 that he lacked fitness and blamed Real for failing to prepare him properly as a trophyless season wound down.

But Queiroz pointed to the example of Real midfielder Figo, at 31 two years older than Beckham, whose performances for Portugal seem to have improved as Euro 2004 has progressed.

"In the last three weeks of the season Figo was at every training session, while youll have to look at those that David missed for one motive or another," Queiroz said on the BBC website.

"Figo wasnt skiing while his team was still in the Champions League, and theres the difference - one of them has got to the Euro final and the other didnt."

Queiroz added: "I am not surprised by Beckhams comments as he has always had excuses."

"When he failed in Korea, and when he failed in Portugal, he always has an excuse."

Beckham was given time off by the club for the skiing trip with his family after stories that he had had an affair with his personal assistant in Madrid.

He went to the Swiss Alps days before Real's Champions League quarter-final second leg with Monaco in April, for which he was suspended.

Queiroz was sacked by Real after failing to win a trophy with his star-studded squad and has returned to the assistant coach's job at Old Trafford.