David Beckham

In the news today England will miss Beckham's leadership:The England squad is going to miss David Beckham, out at least six months due to surgery on his torn Achilles' tendon. They'll miss his deadly crosses and bending free kicks, but only in marginal sense, as he was not pegged to be a starter. His absence will be felt more on the spiritual end.

For all of his wealth, celebrity lifestyle and flair, Beckham is one of the most dedicated athletes in the sport, a team player of great pride and humility. This would have been his fourth World Cup, and he played 115 games for England (17 goals) over a brilliant career. Coach Fabio Capello was counting on the 34-year-old veteran to soothe the tensions surrounding John Terry, whose well-publicized philandering not only cost Terry a friendship with teammate Wayne Bridge, but forced Bridge's bitter withdrawal from the team.