[Illusion]

LONDON -- David Beckham was dropped from the England soccer team Friday by coach Steve McClaren.

Beckham stepped down as captain last month after limping off with ankle and Achilles tendon injuries during the second half of England's World Cup quarterfinal loss to Portugal. He said he still wanted to play for the national team.

McClaren didn't name him in the squad to play Greece in Wednesday's friendly -- his first match in charge.

While his accuracy from dead balls is still sharp, Beckham has started to lose pace, highlighted when 19-year-old Aaron Lennon twice replaced him at the World Cup. It also marks a break from the reign of former coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who developed a close relationship with Beckham during his five years.

The 31-year-old Beckham has 94 caps -- he was captain for 58 of those -- and has long said he'd like to reach 100. It's possible he could be recalled for England's 2008 European Championship qualifiers.

McClaren, who was Eriksson's assistant from 2001, added Terry Venables as his assistant coach. Venables coached England from 1994-96.

As backup to striker Peter Crouch, McClaren named Jermain Defoe -- who was on standby for the World Cup but was sent home -- Charlton's Darren Bent and West Ham's Dean Ashton, who was given his first England call up.

Wayne Rooney was left out because he is suspended from England's first two Euro 2008 qualifiers for the red card he was shown against Portugal, while Michael Owen is recovering from a serious knee injury he got at the World Cup.

McClaren wasn't able to pick a number of other players because of injury, including midfielders Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, backup goalkeeper Robert Green and defender Ledley King.

Nine players from the World Cup squad were omitted, including 17-year-old Theo Walcott. Eriksson's decision to take the striker to Germany before he'd played for his English Premier League club Arsenal was widely criticized.

With Owen injured and Rooney not at full fitness, Walcott stayed on the bench throughout the World Cup.

Walcott, Nigel Reo-Coker and Scott Carson were named in the under-21 squad to play to Moldova on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper David James and defender Sol Campbell were other high-profile World Cup squad members to miss out.

[Bulldog]

He'll be back with the Pross

[adriano]

Finally England have a chance

[Illusion]

Finally England have a chance

How are people in England taking this news? I do not follow soccer closely, but I do know Beckham is a huge superstar.

[althelegend]

They will miss Beckham, that's for sure, against the European champions. It's only a friendly match and England have a very poor record in these kind of games.

[adriano]

I don't read the English sports press so much as i used to, but i think they should all be very happy there.

Beckham is not a good player imo at least for 4 years now. Steve McClaren dropped him from the England squad because he 'was too slow'. He was ok for Man Utd a long time ago, but his presence in Real Madrid has nothing to do with his footballing qualities. The boy is just an advertising machine,
a superstar for the asian girls.

Having said 'England had a chance' i was actually wrong, cause i forgot Terry Venables was appointed as McLaren's assistant

[McBa1n]

Beckham, outside of SICK balls (2-3/game, at most), is probably the worst player on the pitch.
He does NOTHING other than making nice plays on set pieces or on random balls where he just gets lucky and can make a play on.
As far as defense, build up, etc, he's probably no better than any other midfielder in the MLS.

IMO, he's the weak link to England (next to their now-departed coach).
He plays with no heart/passion.

[InSpades]

Not a surprise IMO.

IS

[tacomax]

He miscalculated there.

If he was still the captain of the team when McClaren took over, he wouldn't have been dropped. But since he resigned his position, he got the chop. He's still a good player but his best years are definately behind him.

[ivyconniver]

wake me up when it's time for the world cup again.