Beckham looking forward to World Cup finally getting under way

Jun 8, 2006, 13:40 GMT

Baden-Baden, Germany - David Beckham said Thursday he was glad to see Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney back in training and was looking forward to the World Cup finally getting underway.

'We're all ready now. I think we all want to get out there and start the games and get it going because it has been a long wait,' he said.

'It seems as if we have been talking about it for months.'

England take on Paraguay in their opening Group B game in Frankfurt Saturday and the 31-year-old said he wanted to concentrate on his country's World Cup opener.

The Real Madrid midfielder said it was nice that all the squad were 'now fit and back in training,' but refused to be drawn on the media frenzy about Rooney's inclusion.

'I think it's best that we focus on the game now,' he said. With Wayne we're all happy that he's back training with us now and we're back together.'

While Rooney won't play any part until the knockout stages on June 24 or 25 at the earliest, if England make it out of the group, Beckham said Newcastle United striker Michael Owen was approaching full match fitness despite being out for several months with injury.

'Sometimes you do have players that aren't full fit but I think Michael is getting back to that now,' he said.

'I think he looked very sharp. He got his confidence up with a goal (against Jamaica last weekend) and I don't think that is going to be any problem.'