Becks eyeing free-kick glory

David Beckham is hoping to beat Brazil at their own game should the South Americans be England's next opponents at the World Cup.

The England captain admits he would relish scoring from a free-kick against a country which virtually invented the art of curling and swerving dead balls.

He also insisted England's players weren't getting carried away, despite the massive level of expectancy.

He said: "It would be nice to get any goal in that game, we'll see.

"If a free-kick's there I'll be ready, I've not really had one close enough to goal yet.

"We're not allowing ourselves to get carried away, we've done well."

Beckham acknowledged that a quarter-final meeting with Brazil was a mouth-watering prospect, but Ronaldo and co still have to overcome Belgium in their last-16 clash.

"Obviously the people's choice would be Brazil," said Beckham.

"The last time we played them at the World Cup was in 1970, I remember seeing the pictures of Bobby Moore changing shirts with Pele."

Asked if he thought this England team were making history themselves, he replied: "Not yet. We are three games closer to the final but we can't let ourselves get carried away. We know people are getting excited at home, and so they should be."