Beckham image takes knock in the East

David Beckham’s image in the Far East has taken a battering following his dismal showing in Euro 2004.

The England captain endured a miserable tournament, summed up when he fired his spot-kick high over the bar in the penalty shoot-out loss to Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Beckham later admitted he had not been at peak fitness and this has had a negative impact on his commercial value, particularly in Asia where he has conscientiously built up his brand in recent years.

The Asian media has been particularly savage on the Real Madrid midfielder, who was last year the most popular foreign sportsman in the region, ahead of Tiger Woods.

Media commentator Tim Noonan, of the South China Morning Post, said: “Last year he could do no wrong but this latest performance has scared people off.

“He was hugely popular out here and used in a lot of advertising everywhere. Now these people are having to have a rethink.”