大象传媒

David Beckham said he was disappointed by the decision to leave him out of the Great Britain football squad for the twenty-twelve Games, but that there would be no bigger supporter of the team's efforts. A few months ago he thought he had a good chance of being picked for the squad, as he'd made the original shortlist.

He revealed on Thursday though, that the team's coach Stuart Pearce had rung him with the bad news on Wednesday evening. The thirty-seven-year-old currently plays for LA Galaxy, but his other major role was as a sporting ambassador who helped Britain to secure the Games, and has been enthusiastic about its legacy. Sports fans are divided over the decision; John Prescott is an opposition politician:

"I think he's done a tremendous contribution for this country. He's still playing football and those skills that everybody talks about in the British football team and top fifty, I'm afraid it hasn't produced it at the finals, and the World Cup and the Europe Cup. We can't get guys that can score. This fella used to 'bend it like Beckham'."

Others support the coach's decision though, saying sentiment shouldn't play a part in deciding who represents Britain at the world's greatest sporting event. As a child David Beckham played football on pitches close to where the Olympic Stadium now stands, and was hopeful about the regeneration benefits that the Olympics might bring to the area.