MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Beckham accepts Duscher apology

England's soccer captain, David Beckham, has sportingly accepted a belated apology from Argentine player Aldo Duscher who telephoned him personally after facing mass British media criticism, condemning what is widely regarded here as his vicious two-footed tackle which broke a bone in Beckham's foot.

Reacting to British pressmen besieging his home in Spain, Duscher said: "These journalists made me feel I had done something terrible. It is very hard to face a country's press attacking you. These have been very difficult days for me and my family".

A previously unrepentant Duscher had previously declared: "It's a man's game. These things happen in football".

Duscher: "I'm very sorry".

He has since had second thoughts which prompted his dramatic telephone, through an interpreter, which went like this:

"Hello David. It's Aldo Duscher. I was calling you to find out how your are and to tell you I'm very sorry for what happened".

David Beckham: "Hello, how are you? I really appreciate the call".

AD:"I wanted you to know that at no time did I mean to injure you and I really hope you recover quickly".

DB: "Don't worry. I knew you hadn't meant anything bad. I'm OK and still hoping to be at the World Cup".

AD: "I hope you can still recover in time and everything works out".

Beckham concern on Anglo-Argentine angst

DB:" "Don't worry. Now what I want to avoid is creating problems between our two countries. And thanks for your concern".

AD: "It's nothing. I wish you the very best of luck".

British newspapers describe it as a brief, rather staged conversation, in which Beckam 's Manchester United Argentine team-mate, Juan Sebastian Veron, played the key role of peace-maker and mediator, in response to a request from Argentine agent, Mathias Aldao.

The British media has devoted vast coverage to the incident, repeatedly showing the controversial tackle on television and pictures of Beckham writhing in agony on the ground and limping with walking sticks with his foot in plaster and heavily bandaged. The sporting public are appalled by the vicious force of the tackle, which smashed into the ball and Beckham's legs sending him hurtling several yards (metres) though the air.

Beckham and England coach optimistic

Even the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reacted to the injury by saying: "Nothing is more important to England's arrangements for the World Cup than the state of David Beckham's foot".

There has been much medical comment on the treatment and likel