David Beckham will be England's super spy at the World Cup.

Fabio Capello will spend the week picking the former England's captain's brains for information about next Saturday's Group C opponents the USA. The 35-year-old midfielder, ruled out after rupturing his Achilles during a spell at AC Milan, has spent three years in America with LA Galaxy.

He has the inside track on players like club team-mate Landon Donovan and yesterday he watched the United States lay down a marker by ­beating Australia 3-1.

Capello said: “Beckham can help us with the United States. I will watch their game against Australia with him on DVD and we can talk.”

But Beckham's role as an opposition assessor will not stop there. Although ­Capello has said Becks is in South Africa mainly for player liaison, he is likely to work closely with ­general manager Franco Baldini as England look to plot a path past Algeria and Serbia.

He will also help with England's bid for the 2018 World Cup during the tournament.