David Beckham will go to the World Cup as a cheerleader rather than a coach, after Fabio Capello insisted he will not rip up his team to accommodate the former skipper.

Capello is keen for Beckham to come along with the squad at their Rustenburg base, believing he could play a major part in keeping up group morale.

But suggestions that Beckham will have an active role to play on the training pitch as a coach were dismissed as the Italian suggested the former skipper will also be in South Afrixca on a PR offensive for England's 2018 World Cup bid.

Capello said: "David Beckham is not on the coaching staff, absolutely not.

"He will stay with us and help us in the World Cup but he is absolutely not a coach.

"You have to respect the coaches. He will be with us because he is important but he is not a coach.

"David is a really important player who played with us. He could have chosen to go on holiday but he preferred to stay with the team. He is dedicated to us, to this team, the England team and for the bid to host the World Cup.

"We have to speak with him. We have different projects for him.

"He is an ambassador for the 2018 World Cup bid and he can go one or two times around South Africa.

"But it is important that David will stay with us because he is an example for all the people. He will stay with us."