Real Madrid to take on Los Angeles Galaxy at the Rose Bowl in California
June 14, 2010
The most famous man in Royal Bafokeng Stadium won't be playing for either team on Saturday night.
He was wearing England 's blue training clothes during Friday night's practice, kicking a ball just like the 23 players eligible to suit up in the famous white jersey.
David Beckham won't be appearing in his fourth World Cup, though. The 35-year-old midfielder tore his left Achilles' tendon while playing for AC Milan on March 14 and will miss the entire tournament. Still, he's with the Three Lions lending support and giving advice, which could come in handy when England plays the United States — and Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy teammates, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle.
Donovan hasn't talked with Beckham recently.
"He's a spy. He's not going to speak to me," the American said playfully this week.
Donovan criticized Beckham in a 2008 book, but the two have since made up and helped the Galaxy reach last year's Major League Soccer championship game.
Now, as often happens in the World Cup, club teammates are on opposite sides. While the bond of being in the same locker room is temporarily broken, mutual admiration remains.
"David has been terrific in every way," Donovan said. "I think he would tell you that initially it was difficult on the field for him to understand the way the game is played in our country but like he always has, he's adapted well. And obviously before the injury he was a big part of our team last year.
"Off the field is I think equally clear. I think he's almost single-handedly brought an awareness to our game that wasn't there before," Donovan added. "It would be one thing if he did that subconsciously without knowing and without putting effort into it, but he puts a lot of effort to helping grow the game in our country, and I think we all appreciate that."
A former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007 and gave an instant boost to MLS attendance, if not to the Galaxy's on-field fortunes.
He went on a half-season loan to AC Milan in January 2009 and again in January 2010, wanting to prove to England coach Fabio Capello that he would keep the sharpness necessary to become the first Englishman to appear in four World Cups.
But then came the injury sustained while playing in a Serie A match against Chievo Verona, one that occurred while he wasn't even being challenged for the ball. Soccer's most charismatic player — if never quite its best — had his dream shattered.
He came to South Africa anyway to be with the lads, even scouting for Capello at last weekend's exhibition between the U.S. and Australia . He'll miss most if not all of the Galaxy season while the foot heals, and his England career may be over after 115 international appearances, second only to goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125 from 1970-90.
Becks hasn't been a shut-in in his Los Angeles-area home.
Even while an active player, the two-time FIFA player of the year runner-up assumed the role of a goodwill ambassador and promoter, following the path set by Pele in the 1970s.
"David has taken us into households that didn't appreciate the game, didn't know the game," U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said. "Attendances are higher at certain games that he plays in. Television ratings are higher."
His World Cup career may be over. His role in spreading soccer across the United States is not.
"Do people come back when David Beckham isn't playing to watch the Galaxy play or the team they're playing against? That's the longer-lasting issue," Gulati said. "He's made it clear that whatever effect he's had, he wants to see that continue. Whether it's coaching, managing, ownership, whatever it is."
Real Madrid News:
Jose Mourinho is on the trail of Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.
The persuasive Champions League winner and Real Madrid's money-no-object ambition is a combination that both the Serb and the Reds might find hard to resist.
Vidic's camp has already hinted that the 28-year-old is considering a future away from Old Trafford next season.
His decision on where he'll play his football from August has been put on hold until after the World Cup.
Last season Vidic was the subject of numerous stories that he wanted to leave Old Trafford amid reports that his wife was unhappy in Manchester .
The player consistently claimed that he was committed to the Reds and didn't want to move.
But It is clear that Vidic intends to look closely at his options and has not ruled out ending his United career after four and a half years at the club. One of those options, and probably the most likely, is a move to the Bernabeu now that Mourinho has taken charge of the Spanish giants.
The former Chelsea boss was rumoured to have wanted to take Vidic to Inter Milan in the summer of 2009 after he won the United fans and player's Player of the Year awards following an outstanding season.
Having won the European Cup with Inter, Mourinho has been charged with the job of getting the best out of the Galacticos.
While Real Madrid scored 102 La Liga goals last term as they finished runners-up to Barcelona they conceded 11 league goals more than the title winners. It was defensive errors that also cost Madrid progress in the Champions League.
When Mourinho took charge of Chelsea in 2004 his first job was to get the spine of his team right and, as well as landing Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, he bought Ricardo Carvalho from his former club Porto for £19.85m.
Even before Mourinho's arrival, Real Madrid monitored Vidic at United and, having been unable to resist a £80m world record fee for Cristiano Ronaldo last summer, United might now be unable to fend off the Spaniards again.
Vidic was signed from Spartak Moscow on Christmas Day 2005 by Sir Alex Ferguson for £7m but if he is now unsettled and a fee of around £25m is put forward, the Reds boss might reluctantly accept it as a worthwhile deal.
Around £12m of any incoming transfer fee could be spent on Palermo 's Simon Kjaer, who starts his World Cup in South Africa today for Denmark against Holland . Ferguson has had his Serie A form monitored all last season.
:: Meanwhile, United have been linked with a move for Real Madrid legend Raul, who may be allowed to leave the Bernabeu on a free transfer this summer.
Galaxy salvages draw with Fire off Gonzalez header (AP) Omar Gonzalez made up for his gaffe in a big way. With Chicago Fire fans still celebrating their go-ahead goal -- set up by Gonzalez's foul -- Gonzalez headed in a corner from Landon Donovan in the 90th minute Saturday to salvage a 1-1 tie for the Los Angeles Galaxy. "Most teams in the league would have lost that game," said Donovan, who blew two chances to score in the first half. MLS Injury Report - Saturday, September 4 (PA SportsTicker) EASTERN CONFERENCE Wizards beat Galaxy 2-0 for 2 straight (AP) Davy Arnaud and Jimmy Conrad scored to give the Kansas City Wizards a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night. Goalkeeper Jimmy Neilsen made three saves for his eighth shutout as the Wizards (7-9-5) earned their first road victory against Los Angeles since 2004 and won consecutive games for the first time since the season's first two games.
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The Galaxy opened their stadium, the Home Depot Center on June 7. But in order for their home to be ready, the team had to play a record 8 games to start the season and failed to win a game. In fact, the Galaxy finish the season without a win away from home the whole season. After the season's final game, the Galaxy had the final playoff spot in the West. In their aggregate series with the Earthquakes, they seemed well on to vindication for the MLS Cup loss 2 years earlier as they held 4 goals to 0 lead midway through the 2 nd game. A thing happened as the Earthquakes scored four unanswered goals to force a tiebreaker. In that session, the Earthquakes' Rodrigo Farina score to send the Quakes onto the next round.
In 2004 Looking to return to the top, the Galaxy would go through a mediocre 1 st half of the season before 3 straight wins over the summer. But from July 14 on, the Galaxy won only 2 more games, one in September and one in October. The Galaxy had a record of 11-9-10, good enough for 2nd in the West and the playoff, remaining the only club in MLS to have a playoff spot in every year of league in the playoffs, the Galaxy withstood an early challenge from the Rapids to win the aggregate goal series, 2-1, scoring 2 times in Game 2. In the conference final, the Galaxy's season would come to an end in Kansas with a 2-0 loss to Arnaud and the Wizards.
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