Beckham and Woodgate more popular than ever in Madrid

By Duncan Shaw Oct 21, 2005, 16:30 GMT

Real Madrid\'s British player David Beckham shoots and scores against Rosenborg during their Champions League Group F soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday 19 October 2005. EPA/Paco Campos

Madrid - Right now, the most popular players among the many fans of Real Madrid are not the hugely talented Brazilians, nor the hard-working Spaniards...but the English pair of David Beckham and Jonathan Woodgate.

An online poll taken by Madrid sports daily Marca on Friday reveals that 53 per cent of readers see Beckham - more than Ronaldo, Robinho or Zinedine Zidane - 'as the most important player in the squad right now'.

Beckham, in Madrid now for more than two years, has not always been so highly regarded by the fans. He has still to win a single trophy at the club, and for many 'madristas' he has represented the change from a successful football club to a media and marketing obsessed entity unable to compete on the field.

This image of him as an expensive, frivolous marketing asset, however, is starting to change. The Bernabeu faithful, at last, are starting to applaud Beckham the footballer.

The England captain is in sparkling form. Last Saturday he was outstanding in the 3-0 win away to local rivals Atletico. On Wednesday he masterminded Real's second-half comeback against Rosenborg, setting up two goals and scoring the last one himself in the 4-1 rout.

His new-found popularity is partly due to the decline of the other 'Galacticos'. Luis Figo has left for Italy, Zinedine Zidane is struggling with injury, Robinho has still not adapted, Ronaldo and Julio Baptista are both injured.

'The fans now look to Beckham not only for wonderful crosses and free kicks', said Pedro San Martin in Marca on Friday, 'but also for leadership and character.'

Tomas Roncero, columnist in rival daily As, even goes so far as to nominate Beckham for the European Footballer of the Year award.

Roncero claims that Beckham is performing more effective now as his wife Victoria and three children have now finally settled down in the Spanish capital, in a pleasant suburban mansion.

Until a year ago Beckham was living alone in a luxury hotel, surrounded by rumours and scandal.

The Marca online poll also shows that the 'madridistas' have a tremendous respect for Real's other Englishman, Woodgate.

66 per cent of readers believe that the former Newcastle defender will become 'an integral part of the team'. <!--page-->

Letters in both Marca and As express admiration for the way Woodgate has finally overcome the thigh muscle injury that plagued him during his first year in Madrid.

'He has shown incredible courage', writes in Pablo Sanchez from Badajoz province, 'not to give up, to carry on fighting and trying.'

Woodgate was sidelined throughout his first season in Madrid, and the 23 million euros paid to Newcastle for him was generally considered a complete waste of money.

To make things worse, the former England defender scored own goals in his first two appearances this season.

On Wednesday, though, Woodgate began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He started the Real revival against Rosenborg by heading in a classy Beckham centre - then dashed over to thank the club doctor who has worked so hard to bring him back to fitness.

'Wednesday night was like a dream for me', said Woodgate on Friday. 'Now I want to become really useful here, and repay the club for the faith they've had in me.'

English players are really flavour of the month in Madrid at the moment. So much so that many fans are already regretting the sale of Michael Owen to Newcastle, now that Ronaldo and Baptista are injured.