Beckham runs into language barrier

David Beckham revealed yesterday that he is uncertain over his role in the Real Madrid team because of his inability to speak Spanish.

Even though Beckham has spent time with Real's Englishspeaking players and knows Carlos Queiroz from their time together at Old Trafford last season, the former Manchester United star admitted that he is struggling to make progress because the new coach conducts all his training sessions in Spanish.

The England captain is due to make his debut for Madrid against the Dragon XI in Beijing on Saturday, but as he continued to be the centre of attention on the Spanish champions' 18-day tour of the Far East, Beckham said that the language barrier has been the biggest obstacle to settling into his new life.

He said: 'Everything will be easier when I have learned the language, although I admit that it won't be easy. 'The coach has been trying to help me adapt to life at Real, but he does the training sessions in Spanish and I'm still finding it hard to understand what he wants.' Despite rumours of resentment in the dressing-room over Beckham's arrival, he insisted his new team-mates have gone out of their way to make him feel at home.

He added: 'They have helped me to integrate as quickly as possible. They are just as good off the field as they are on it. I'm very grateful to them.' However, Beckham knows that once the initial clamour dies down, the Real fans will be as welcoming only if he can justify his £25million price tag and help Queiroz's side to a record 10th European Cup win.

He said:'We have to go out and give everything in every game to keep them happy. It's true that winning the Champions League is important for any club, but from what I've heard it is something exceptional at Madrid.' Beckham will play alongside Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu for only two seasons after the Frenchman announced yesterday that he will retire at the end of his contract in 2005.

Zidane, who cost Real a worldrecord £46.5m when he moved from Juventus two years ago, will be only 33 when he quits but insists he will not change his mind.

He said: 'I have two years left to my contract and until then I will play as well as possible but after those two years I will retire.' Zidane will end his international career at next summer's European Championship in Portugal.