Real Madrid 3 Deportivo La Coruna 1: Beckham crowns England recall with Real surge to title

If, back in January, David Beckham had been asked if he believed that he would end the season winning his 95th England cap and the Spanish title he may have delivered the standard response: "Well, obviously in football you never know." But there would not have been much conviction in the midfielder's voice.

The chances of the hard-line manager Fabio Capello going back on his decision to never pick him again, Steve McClaren swallowing his pride and recalling the former England captain and Real Madrid getting their act together in La Liga were all slim to non-existent.

But Beckham joins up with England this week ahead of the prestigious first international in the new Wembley just two games from winning the Spanish title and is being acclaimed in Spain as the star of the show. He will be looking to turn back the clock when he pulls the England shirt on again; he is already doing exactly that at club level.

Not since he arrived just under four years ago has his every touch been so appreciated by fans who credit his return as the trigger for Real Madrid's title charge. They swooned at his 40-yard cross-field passes to feet, roared their approval when he tackled back to win lost causes, and vented their anger when he was harshly booked for being too close to Joan Capdevila as the full-back took a throw-in.

The excitement was even too much for one ball-boy who hurdled the advertising hoardings to celebrate with his hero after Beckham had delivered the pass that led to the first goal.

Midway through the first half he ran on to Roberto Carlos's pass down the left and crossed for his old Manchester United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy at the back post. The referee never saw the Dutchman instinctively punch the ball back across goal for Sergio Ramos to bundle in after Raul's blocked shot.

Capdevila equalised in the second half to momentarily spoil the party but Beckham was soon on hand to manufacture an almost instant reply. Having come close himself with a free-kick that hit a post he crossed for Raul to head in.

And acknowledging his contribution Raul embraced Beckham pointing to the top of the midfielder's bleached blond head as he smiled at celebrating fans. Real's club captain has never been Beckham's closest ally at the Bernabeu but even he seems to have joined the fan club. After the game Van Nistelrooy, who scored Real Madrid's third goal, and the manager Capello, were both full of praise for Beckham.

Van Nistelrooy said: "He completely deserves the recall. Most players would have given up in that situation and said 'that's it for me', but he has done it for himself, brought himself back into the reckoning."

And Capello, the man who closed the door on Beckham back in January, added: "He is playing his best football for two years. He is mentally right and he is so focused. Everybody knows that when he is on form he knows exactly where to put the ball and he crosses it with pace and great quality."

Capello, who has also come back from the brink - more than once this season being just a contract settlement away from the sack - and Van Nistelrooy will have other great Bernabeu nights but for Beckham, there are just 90 minutes left at the famous arena.

He rounded off his penultimate night by running to fans at one end of the ground and throwing his shirt to supporters. He then made straight for a private flight to England ahead of joining up with his international team-mates.

After matches against Brazil and Estonia he is due back in Spain for his last two games in a Madrid shirt and if they end in victory he will finish as a Spanish champion - an unimaginable end to the season when you think back to January.

Real Madrid: Iker Casillas; Miguel Torres, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos (Cicinho, 89); Beckham, Gago, Diarra, Robinho (Guti, 76); Raul, Van Nistelrooy (Higuain, 90).

Deportivo La Coruña (4-4-2): Aouate; Coloccini, Andrade, Lopo, Capdevila; Estoyanoff (Bodipo, 62), De Guzman, Sergio (Verdu, 78), Cristian; Juan Rodriguez, Arizmendi (Barragan, 86).