尽管在近来的比赛中锁定了皇马中场主力的位置，但是英格兰球星贝克汉姆对于自己重返国家队的前景仍然非常悲观，在接受BBC电台采访时，他直言不讳地表示如果要以他是否重返国家队设一个赔率的话，他自己都不会赌自己能够重获青睐。同时，贝克汉姆还透露：自己得到麦客莱伦电话，通知他不用前往国家队报道时的震惊。他形容那时候就像天塌下来一样恐怖。

England midfielder and former captain David Beckham gives the thumbs up prior to the World Cup 2006 quarter final between England and Portugal at Gelsenkirchen stadium, Germany, in July 2006. Beckham said there was a possibility he may never play for his country again. [AFP] Former England captain David Beckham said there was a possibility he may never play for his country again.   The high-profile Real Madrid midfielder, who had a poor World Cup earlier this summer and then decided to give up the captain's armband, added he would be trying to get back into the reckoning. Beckham, 31, who was left out of the first England squad selected by Steve McClaren, told BBC radio Monday: "When I've had knocks before I've always wanted to prove people wrong, and I want to do that again. "If I never play for England again then I've played 94 times and captained England for six years and have had an amazing time playing for England. I don't want it to end, I want it to carry on. If I was a betting man I wouldn't bet on me playing again - but who knows?" Despite not being part of the McClaren era, Beckham insists there are grounds for optimism under the new regime. McClaren, who coached Beckham at Manchester United before the midfielder moved to Real Madrid, told Beckham he was a 'casualty' of the changes being implemented following Sven-Goran Eriksson's reign. Beckham described the day he left out of the squad: "It was out of the blue, I had a few phone calls before from him asking about my fitness, I thought everything was good. "He came on the phone and said 'you've had an amazing time as an England player and captain, I want to move forward'. He said there will be casualties on the way and that 'you are one of the casualties'. It surprised me and I'm gutted. "At the end of the day he has a decision to make, when I got off the phone I was angry and disappointed but I want to play again." Beckham added: "You need things like that to spur you on and prove people wrong. He (McClaren) came to United in 1999, we won the treble that year, he's a good coach and I've sure he'll be a good coach for England." (Agency)

Vocabulary:

armband: 袖章 reckoning: 考虑 have knocks: 受挫，招致批评，文中指“被球队淘汰” casualty: 牺牲 out of the blue: 很突然 spur you on: 鼓励你、鞭策你 （英语点津陈蓓编辑）