Becks faces fitness race

Midfielder desperate for century of caps

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 27th February 2008

David Beckham

Beckham: Fight for fitness

I would love to reach 100 caps, but I have to be physically ready.

David Beckham
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David Beckham admits he faces a race against time in order to be fit enough to earn his 100th England cap.

The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, who has captained his country on 58 occasions, was left out of Fabio Capello's first England squad for the 2-1 friendly victory over Switzerland at the beginning of February.

Capello, who managed Beckham at Real Madrid last season, revealed he overlooked the 32-year-old at Wembley because he did not feel he possessed the necessary match fitness due to the fact that it was the close-season in America.

England's next match is the friendly with France on 26th March and ahead of the game Beckham, who is currently marooned on 99 caps, has admitted his desperation to secure a century of appearances.

Challenge

Beckham - who trained with Arsenal at the beginning of the year - has now returned to pre-season duty with LA, but the former Manchester United star confesses he faces a challenge to be fully prepared for England's trip to Paris.

"I would love to reach the 100 caps, but I have to be physically ready to be part of the team," said Beckham. "All I've done is training. I have no match fitness.

"I've played under Capello before. He is a great manager and a good person.

"He is a manager that I understand well and he is a manager that will pick players if he believes they are fit enough."