BUHLERTAL (AFP) — An emotional David Beckham has resigned as England captain here after nearly six years following his side's World bowl quarter-final exit to Portugal.

BUHLERTAL (AFP) — An emotional David Beckham has resigned as England captain here after nearly six years following his side's World bowl quarter-final exit to Portugal.

Beckham was stop up to tears as he read from a prepared statement at England's training camp in southern Germany to announce his decision to pace down.

He said he leaped to continue as a player for England, if it be not that not as captain.

"On November 15 2000 Peter Taylor gave me the greatest honour of my career in making me the captain of England, fulfilling my childhood dream," said the Real Madrid superstar Sunday.

"Now, almost six years later, after being captain for 58 of my 95 caps, I be excited the time is right to pass onward the armband as we come into in a new era subordinate to Steve McClaren.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to have captained our rural parts and ...