Beckham on the edge

The latest low point for Beckham and his team came on the penultimate day of the Primera Liga season on May 16 when he was sent off for using foul language towards a linesman during a game against Murcia. Real eventually lost the game to already relegated Murcia 2-1, thus registering their fourth league defeat in succession 8212; the first time in the club8217;s glittering history that Real have lost four consecutive league matches.

After his sending off, rumours are rife that the Londoner has played his last game for Madrid and that his brief sojourn in Spain will end this summer. It is expected that he will return to England, most likely to big spending Chelsea, to revive his career and save his marriage to popstar wife Victoria.

But first a stellar performance at Euro 2004 is needed to win over the doubters who feel Beckham has taken his eye off the ball by spending too much time on cultivating his image and lucrative sponsorship deals. Beckham is not only captain of England, he is also the cornerstone of the team. He achieved iconic status in England when one of his trademark free kicks against Greece deep in injury time secured the draw England needed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea. Demographers credit Beckham and his teammates8217; exploits in Japan and Korea with the unexpected 16,000 extra births that occurred in Britain nine months after the 2002 World Cup and are calling the February 2003 birth rise 8216;8216;The Beckham Boom8217;8217;. If Beckham fails to lead England to the at least the semi final stages in Portugal, the player may find he is once again considered a mere mortal by advertisers and fans alike.