David Beckham: LA Galaxy Star Left out of Great Britain's Olympic Team

David Beckham won't play Olympic football this summer.

Beckham, a former England captain, has been left out of manager Stuart Pearce's 18-man Great Britain squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which will be held later this summer in London.

Beckham, a 37-year-old midfielder, made the 35-man shortlist but was not chosen as one of the three players over age 23 allowed on each team.

From the Associated Press, via the Washington Post:

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Beckham had been widely expected to be selected for the Olympic squad after playing an instrumental role in helping Sebastian Coe and his team win the bid in 2005 to host the Olympic Games.

“As a Londoner, I will have been really proud to have played a small part in bringing the Olympics to my home town as part of Seb’s team, and I can’t wait for the games to begin and enjoy every moment along with the rest of Great Britain,” Beckham said.

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According to the AP article, sources indicate that Great Britain's three overage players will be Manchester United and Wales midfielder Ryan Giggs (38), Liverpool and Wales forward Craig Bellamy (32) and Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards (24).

Giggs and Beckham were teammates at Manchester United from 1993-2003 after both came through the club's youth system.

Beckham, England's most-capped field player with 115 appearances, last played for the Three Lions in 2009. He joined the Galaxy of Major League Soccer in 2007 after spells with Real Madrid and Manchester United.

So, readers, what do you think? Did Pearce get it right or wrong in leaving out Beckham? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to vote in the poll.

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