Beckham finds an extra motivation

David Beckham has vowed to use barbed comments from the Nigeria team as extra motivation in tomorrow’s final group game as he expressed his belief in England’s World Cup potential.

Beckham believes that England have learned from the harsh lesson of Euro 2000, when they beat Germany only to lose to Romania a few days later and find themselves on the first plane home.

To qualify for the knockout stages this time, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side need a point against a Nigeria team who have already been eliminated.

Eriksson is set to turn to the same line-up that started the second-half against Argentina, with Owen Hargreaves expected to be ruled out until next week due to his leg injury after an inconclusive muscle scan.

Eriksson has no intention of protecting three players - Emile Heskey, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole - who are one caution away from a suspension.

So that means Trevor Sinclair should continue on the left flank, with Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes again in central midfield, while Heskey partners Michael Owen up front.

Just to refocus minds, Beckham will also remind his team-mates of the reported taunts of some Nigeria players, such as Taribo West and Isaac Okoronkwo, that he and Owen are not to be feared.

The England captain responded: ‘‘Nigeria have said a few things such as they’re not scared of some of our players.

‘‘It’s important for our team to know that, although we must also concentrate on our own game. Should they be scared of us? We’ll see.’’

Beckham will again look to lead by example in Osaka tomorrow, when the expected afternoon heat could be replaced by cooler temperatures amid forecasts of a typhoon approaching southern Japan.

The England captain revealed that in the frantic latter stages of the 1-0 win against Argentina last Friday, he had almost lost his voice as he was shouting so loudly.

It is only now that Beckham has truly started to understand the importance of his role as skipper, believing that he ‘‘came of age’’ as captain last Friday.

He also addressed his team before the game, telling them to ‘‘go out and enjoy the game, relax and win’’.

But given the relaxed and confident attitude in the dressing-room, he insists he had never doubted they would beat Argentina.

‘‘This side can get even better as there are so many young players in the team who want to go out there and play and learn,’’ he added.

Beckham was given invaluable advice by Sir Alex Ferguson on the eve of the game, with his club boss having told him to pace himself to ensure that he lasted the full 90 minutes.

It was just as well, however, that he did not also take the advice offered by his wife Victoria just before he left for the World Cup.

‘‘She actually said ‘please don’t take any penalties’,’’ he recalled with a smile.

‘‘I said to her that I would definitely take the penalties. So she knew at one point I would have to but I don’t think she realised it would come in the Argentina game!

‘‘She watched the game with Brooklyn. I spoke to him after the game and the first thing he said to me was ‘good goal, daddy’, so that meant a lot to me.’’

Beckham could not sleep last Friday night as he thought over the potential consequences of having missed that penalty after so painstakingly rebuilding his reputation since his 1998 red card.

‘‘There is such a close thing between being a villain and a hero. Obviously if I’d missed it, then God knows. It doesn’t bear thinking about,’’ he revealed.

‘‘Looking back, I wasn’t exactly stupid but if it had gone wrong, I’d probably have been back to square one again.’’

Now he is just determined to guide England into the second round, admitting that it would be ‘‘ridiculous’’ to throw away the progress made against Argentina.

‘‘It’s been drummed into to us by the staff that we can’t just sit back on this.

‘‘We have just beaten one of the best teams in the competition but there’s a long way to go,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s important that we don’t sit back and think about the Argentina game as that means nothing if we go and lose now.’’