Editing David Beckham (section)

===2006 FIFA World Cup===
In England's opening game at the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]], against [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]] on 10 June 2006, Beckham's free kick led to an [[own-goal]] by [[Carlos Gamarra]] as England won 1–0.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852606.stm |title=England 1-0 Paraguay |website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=10 June 2006 |access-date=18 June 2024 }}</ref> In England's next match, played against [[Trinidad and Tobago national football team|Trinidad and Tobago]] on 15 June 2006, Beckham's cross in the 83rd minute led to a [[Peter Crouch]] goal, which put England into the lead 1–0. Beckham gave another assist to [[Steven Gerrard]]. In the end they won 2–0.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853008.stm |title=England 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago |website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=15 June 2006 |access-date=18 June 2024 }}</ref> He was named [[Man of the Match]] by tournament sponsor [[Budweiser]].

During England's second round match against [[Ecuador national football team|Ecuador]], Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first English player to score in three separate World Cups,<ref name="Ecuador">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5103974.stm |title=England 1–0 Ecuador |website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=25 June 2006 |access-date=10 June 2012 |archive-date=8 March 2008 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080308165609/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5103974.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> and giving England a 1–0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. He was sick before the game and vomited several times as a result of [[dehydration]] and illness that he got after having scored the winning goal for England.<ref name="Ecuador"/> In the quarter-final against Portugal, Beckham was substituted following an injury shortly after half time and the England team went on to lose the match on penalties (3–1), the score having been 0–0 after extra time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4991618.stm|title=England 0–0 Portugal|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=31 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231122454/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4991618.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> After his substitution, Beckham was visibly shaken and emotional for not being able to play, being in tears at one point.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/football/07/01/worldcup.portugal/|title=Portugal sink England on Penalties|publisher=CNN|date=1 July 2006|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=6 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406031700/http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/football/07/01/worldcup.portugal/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A day after England were knocked out of the World Cup, an emotional Beckham made a statement in a news conference that he had stepped down as England captain,<ref name="captain">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/5138288.stm |title=Beckham quits as England captain |website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=2 July 2006 |access-date=10 June 2012 |archive-date=10 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210040846/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/5138288.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> stating: "It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95<ref>This was an error on Beckham's part – he had played 94 times for England by this stage.</ref> games, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under [[Steve McClaren]]." (Beckham had won 94 [[Cap (sport)|caps]] up to that point.) He was succeeded by [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] captain [[John Terry]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4782197.stm|title=Terry named new England skipper|access-date=10 August 2006|work=BBC Sport|date=10 August 2006|archive-date=23 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823191300/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4782197.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Having stepped down as captain after the World Cup, Beckham was dropped completely from the England national team selected by new coach [[Steve McClaren]] on 11 August 2006. McClaren said that he was "looking to go in a different direction" with the team, and that Beckham "wasn't included within that".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4782613.stm|title=McLaren ends Beckham England era|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=13 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913001907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4782613.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> McClaren said Beckham could be recalled in future. [[Shaun Wright-Phillips]], [[Kieran Richardson]] and the World Cup alternative to Beckham, [[Aaron Lennon]], were all included, although McClaren eventually opted to employ [[Steven Gerrard]] in that role.