Football: Becks back.. on top of the world; ENGLAND v BRAZIL 4 days to first big international at the new Wembley REPORTS FROM MADRID ON THE RETURN OF GOLDENBALLS TO THE ENGLAND FOLD IN THE BEST FORM OF HIS LIFE.. READY TO PROVE A POINT TO McCLAREN.

Byline: Oliver Holt CHIEF SPORTS WRITER 

DAVID BECKHAM is the name of a battleground in English football.

He is a territory that people fight and squabble over.

His return to the England squad has prompted angry declarations of war on beleaguered boss Steve McClaren.

But sometimes, it helps just to watch the man play football.

It sounds trite but it tends to simplify things when you see him at the top of his game like he was against Deportivo La Coruna in the Bernabeu on Saturday night.

It underlines the fact that you can slag Beckham for many reasons if you want, but if you judge him as a footballer, the suggestion that he does not deserve his place among England's best 22 is so absurd it's laughable.

McClaren has performed his U-turn and brought Beckham back into the fold for the friendly against Brazil and the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia next week because he needs his experience and his class.

He can't afford the empty gesture politics of leaving the former England captain out of his plans any more.

McClaren knows there is no point planning for the long-term if England don't get a result in Estonia. Because if that happens, there isn't going to be a long term. Not for McClaren, anyway.

And even though Estonia are a weak football nation, McClaren needs to inject fresh life into his moribund side. Beckham is in superb from and prospects like Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips are not yet ready to step up.

If England win in Tallinn, McClaren can regroup and decide whether to keep faith with Beckham even though he will be playing his football in the USA.

Beckham, though, has made a habit of confounding the cynicism of others and he will be desperate to prove he can combine a career in Major League Soccer with playing for England into the autumn and beyond.

Take away the slurs about his personality, his celebrity, his ego, the size of the hotel room he wants and all the rest and the football evidence is clear.

Beckham was superb for Real Madrid against Deportivo. The range of his passing was breathtaking and accomplished with control and panache. His crossing spread panic in the opposition defence.

His detractors can say what they want but they won't find an English footballer with a better technique than Beckham. His first touch, as ever, was flawless. He used left foot and right foot and looked equally accomplished with both.

Let's take an inventory of how he helped to keep Madrid ahead of Barcelona and Seville at the top of La Liga with two games left to play.

In the 10th minute, he hit a low 40-yard crossfield pass to Robinho that skimmed its way to its target like a guided missile.

A few minutes later, he clipped a clever reverse ball over the Deportivo defence that just eluded Raul.

After 20 minutes, he took a long pass from Sergio Ramos on his chest by the right touchline, held off his marker and curled in a cross that Deportivo scrambled away.

After half an hour, Beckham's clever dart inside his full-back allowed Roberto Carlos to play him in down the flank, Beckham's leftfoot cross caused havoc in the Deportivo area and Ramos smashed the loose ball over the line.

Seven minutes after the interval, Beckham and Carlos worked a neat free-kick routine, and Beckham's curling shot cannoned off the post. Deportivo equalised in the 55th minute. Three minutes later, Beckham crossed from the right and Raul glanced it past Aouate to put Real ahead.

When Ruud van Nistelrooy wrapped things up with Real's third a quarter of an hour before the end, the only surprise was that Beckham wasn't involved.

His colleagues acknowledge his worth, especially his grateful centre-forward Van Nistelrooy who is scoring goals for fun.

"When Beckham was dropped by England and then dropped by Madrid, too," Van Nistelrooy said, "other players would have said 'this is it for me'.

"But he didn't do that. He said 'no' and he turned things around. He is as good now as he has ever been. I think he can still play for England even after he has moved to the States. He could continue at this level for a lot of years and I'm not sure if we can change that now by getting him to stay." Beckham's form is so good that the question of whether his move to the LA Galaxy could be postponed is already starting to be asked.

That is not going to happen. The deal is done and it is not reversible.

Contrary to some suggestions, the MLS will be delighted if Beckham continues to play for England after his move to the States even it means him missing a chunk of Galaxy matches, although friendlies are a thornier issue.

The value to the emerging US league of having a high-profile England international representing his country while playing in the MLS will go beyond anything they had hoped for.

A writer from Sports Illustrated was in Madrid at the weekend to watch the game and interview Beckham for the famous American magazine.

The likelihood is that some time this summer, Beckham will be the first soccer player to feature on its front cover since Giorgio Chinaglia, the Italian star of the New York Cosmos, nearly 30 years ago.

That doesn't really need to concern Steve McClaren or England fans. What's important to them is the way Beckham played for Real Madrid on Saturday.

The news from the football pitch is that the former England captain is right back at the top of his game. He has earned his right to play for his country again.

BECKHAM'S ROLL OF HONOUR 

CLUB HONOURS

European Cup:1999. Premiership: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003. FA Cup: 1996, 1999.

PERSONAL HONOURS

PFA Young Player of the Year 1997. FIFA World Player of the Year Runner-up 1999, 2001.

FULL INTERNATIONAL CAPS: 94

CLUB v COUNTRY DATES

IF Steve McClaren decides to keep David Beckham in the squad after his move to LA Galaxy, these are the fixtures where England can use FIFA rules to demand the release of the player and cause a problem with his club.

Aug 10 DC United (a)

Aug 13 New England (a)

Aug 15 Friendly v Germany (h)

Sep 2 Real Salt Lake (h)

Sept 8 Euro qual v Israel (h)

Sep 9 Colorado (h)

Sept 12 Euro qual v Russia (h)

Sep 14 Chivas (a)

Oct 13 Euro qual v Estonia (h)

Oct 14 Toronto (h)

Oct 17 Euro qual v Russia (a)

Oct 19 New York (h)

Nov 21 Euro qual v Croatia (h)

ENGLAND SQUAD TO FACE BRAZIL (JUN 1) AND ESTONIA (JUN 6)

GOALKEEPERS

Paul Robinson (Tottenham); Robert Green (West Ham); Scott Carson (Liverpool)

DEFENDERS

P Neville (Everton), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham),

MIDFIELDERS

Shorey (Reading), Beckham (Real Madrid), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbro), Dyer (Newcastle)

STRIKERS

Peter Crouch( Liverpool), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Alan Smith (Manchester Utd), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

CAPTION(S):

CREAM OF THE CROP: David Beckham smiles in Real's warm-up on Saturday after being called in to rescue England's European hopes; REAL INSPIRATION: Beckham helped Fabio Capello's men to the top of La Liga