17 March,2010 08:24 AM IST | | PA Sport
David Beckham will be a "major ambassador" for England's 2018 World Cup campaign despite his absence from the tournament this summer, bid chiefs insisted yesterday.
The midfielder's ruptured Achilles tendon will keep him out of the World Cup in South Africa, but he is still a key part of plans for England's campaign to host the 2018 tournament.
Bid chiefs have not considered using him to lobby FIFA members instead in South Africa, believing his biggest impact will be in the final presentation in December.
England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson said: "We have sent David a message wishing him well and hoping he recovers.
"We want him to recover to be playing again -- that's the only thing we are worried about.
"He's David Beckham -- he's going to be a major ambassador for us right through to the end of this.
"We have our big moments in the campaign and obviously the final presentation is one thing where we would want our major ambassadors involved. That's a good example of where we would see David's involvement.
