Captain of a swollen ego... A bottle of bubbly for the best 'tribute' to Beckham the England record-breaker

By Sportsmail Reporter
Updated: 19:27 EST, 7 April 2009


When Jeff Powell invited readers to write a dubious tribute to David '110 caps' Beckham, you responded in droves.

It was Sportsmail's chief feature writer who wrote the moving inscription that decorates Bobby Moore's statue at Wembley, which reads: 'Favourite son of London's East End. Finest legend of West Ham. National treasure. Master of Wembley. Lord of the game. Captain extraordinary. Gentleman for all time.'

David Beckham

Record-breaker: David Beckham wins his 110th cap against Slovakia

So, with this in mind, Powell offered a bottle of champagne for whoever came up with the best way to describe the man who recently became England's most-capped outfield player, surpassing Moore's 108 caps.

Of the 130 reader comments that were fit to publish, a few launched a defence of the former Manchester United winger, but the winner of a bottle of champagne is David McLaren, of Gt. Dunmow, who submitted:

Favourite son of celebrity magazines. Finest legend of cant. Master of self-promotion. Captain of a swollen ego. Average player who took avarice to new heights.

Written before Beckham then won his 110th cap against Ukraine, the best of the rest, as selected by Powell, were:

Beckham's 109th cap? The greatest unsolved mystery of the modern world - I. Richardson, Bourne, Lincolnshire

Why didn't my agent tell me to learn to kick with my left foot? I could have doubled my boot deal - Peter Lydon, Bognor Regis

109 Not Out - show pony and a legend in his own mind - Dave H, Doncaster

Over-hyped, over-paid, over here - John (Surrey) Guildford

109 - Can't play a whole game but by God can print money - Louis, Lanzarote.