VIDEO: Team GB singing Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now'

The 30th Olympiad at London 2012 ended last night with a great closing ceremony. And to celebrate the success of the games Team GB and volunteers including Olympic medallists Sir Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis, Victoria Pendleton, Louis Smith and Pete Reed made their own version of Queen's classic 'Don't Stop Me Now' directed by none other then David Beckham. Watch, enjoy and remember great Games!

VIDEO: David Beckham pops up at the #takethestage photobooth

The 2012 London Olympics are set to officially start today with the opening ceremony. Earlier this week international sports brand Adidas brought astonished shoppers at Westfield Stratford City, which is close to the Olympic vilage, face to face with global sports icon David Beckham at the #takethestage photobooth. Some great reactions are to be seen!

Beckham continues to be Best Paid Footballer

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star David Beckham continues to be the best paid footballer in the world as per the latest rich list from Forbes magazine. Now playing for MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy Beckham earns an astonishing US$ 46 Million from salaries, bonuses and endorsement deals.

Next to Beckham are Real Madrid's Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo with US$ 42 Million and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi from Argentina with US$ 39 Million ahead of England's Wayne Rooney from Manchester United and Brazilian Kaka of Real Madrid.


2012 Forbes' list of the Best Paid Football

1. David Beckham - 46 Million USD
2. Cristiano Ronaldo - 42 Million USD
3. Lionel Messi - 39 Million USD
4. Wayne Rooney - 24 Million USD
5. Kaka - 21 Million USD
6. John Terry - 18 Million USD
7. Yaya Toure - 18 Million USD
8. Fernando Torres - 17 Million USD
9. Frank Lampard - 16 Million USD
10. Steven Gerrard - 16 Million USD

Is QPR trying to bring back David Beckham?

It could be the coup of the season if newly promoted English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers FC are able to sign ageing English footballer David Beckham after his Major League Soccer contract ends in November 2011 with the LA Galaxy.

This has been hinted by new majority QPR stakeholder Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes through his Twitter account were he tweeted, "I think having someone like David [Beckham] in the club would be great. Was always in my thoughts. Let's see."

After the takeover of the shares from Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, Tony Fernandes had given manager Neil Warnock the necessary funds to strengthen the QPR squad ahead of the August 31 deadline. Players like Shaun Wright-Phillips, Luke Young, Anton Ferdinand and Armand Traoré have come in and the new management have told manager Warnock that further signings could follow in the winter transfer window.

Tony Fernandes and co-owners the Mittal family will together look at options on how the grow the QPR brand in Asia and the name Beckham is still big in Asia with a massive fan following. So bringing Beckham back to London could be a way of using him on and off the field.

Talks between QPR and Beckham's management is said to have taken place, but the outcome is unknown.

Beckham to visit India in January?

Over the past five years it has become a regular feature to see former and current football stars making their way to India. Often the Eastern metropolis of Kolkata has been their destination and there could be a big name addition soon in David Beckham, only extra is that he could visit three Indian cities and it would be for a non-football cause.

As per reports out of India which unofficially has been confirmed by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) the English football star could be in India on a seven day trip to visit Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi in January 2011 to support the cause of UNICEF and their projects in India. Since January 2005 Beckham has been an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. For UNICEF he has travelled around the world in support of their projects and the people in need, especially children.

Beckham might not be alone on his trip as he could be accompanied by his wife Victoria and if the former Spice Girl and fashion icon accompanies her husband then they could make an additional stopover in Rajasthan for a short holiday after their official engagements.

If Beckham would have the chance to meet Indian footballers, clubs or officials during such a philanthropic trip would have to be seen. Also one would have to see if such a social trip is possible with Beckham's club LA Galaxy said to be in talks to play a friendly game in India. Originally the Galaxy could have been playing in India next month, but now it looks possible in February 2011.

World Cup - Players to be missed

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is just a few days away and we will be missing a number of the worlds leading footballers due to different reasons. Some are injured, while others were simply not selected by their national coaches.

Every participating nation has their own baggage to carry when it comes to players missing or having been left out. Some will be missed more, while others less but for all these players the dream of playing a World Cup has been dashed, be it their first or maybe their last.

I have put together my personal Top Five who I would be missing from the upcoming World Cup. And the reasons are as different as they can get.


1. David Beckham (England)

This would have been David Beckham's final World Cup and the poster boy of world football will be missed on a number of fronts. Maybe more as a media and marketing star, then in the English midfield as his best playing days are behind him, but Beckham is a phenomenon which is difficult to explain. You either like him or hate him. Over the years I have been amongst those who liked Beckham with all his limitations as a footballer, but the machinery behind him has taken personal marketing of a sporting superstar to a whole new level.
I remember seeing Beckham going down while playing for AC Milan in March 2010 realising his World Cup dream being over. A torn Achilles tendon ended all hopes.

2. Michael Ballack (Germany)

Germany will surely miss their captain and midfield engine Ballack. Like Beckham it was set to be Ballack's last World Cup and also his likely last chance of winning a major international title with Germany though Ballack has since said he will play on until Euro2012 as he would like to end his international career on a high.
Ballack is one of the most successful midfielders of our times, but he has failed to win continental and global titles with his club sides and Germany. He is seen as the personified runners-up. Be it with Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Chelsea FC he finished runners-up in the UEFA Champions League plus finished second at Euro2008 with Germany.
Ballack was unlucky that Kevin Prince Boateng went into him the way he did in the English FA Cup final on May 15. Initially it was thought that he had overstretched his ligaments, but in the end it was a tear, which meant an eight week break.

3. Ronaldinho (Brazil)

A few years ago Ronaldinho was one of the best players in the world. But then came Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, suddenly people weren't interested that much in Ronaldinho and the player had problems at FC Barcelona which forced him to move on to AC Milan. And it seemed Ronaldinho's best days were behind him, but the Brazilian had a strong season for Milan which started discussions back home about a possible return, but coach Carlos Dunga never ever thought about bringing Ronaldinho back nor other former stars like Ronaldo and Adriano.
Dunga has his clear cut views about his team and its composition, and players like Ronaldinho don't find a place in it. It also shows the unbelievable talent pool the Brazilians have if they can leave such players out with other options.

4. Michael Essien (Ghana)

Ghana will miss the services of their influential midfielder Michael Essien, who would have led the Black Stars from the front like in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. But for Essien 2010 hasn't been the best of years as he injured himself in the 2010 African Cup of Nations and couldn't play for his club Chelsea FC thereafter. And now he will be forced to miss the first FIFA World Cup on African soil. A loss surely to Ghana, but also us football fans as Ghana without an inform Essien is surely not as strong and competitive.

5. France

With the French team I couldn't decide on whom to name amongst the players coach Raymond Domenech has left out. The L'Equipe Tricolore under Domenech is a surprise package as you never know what will come out then on a good day they can beat anyone, on a bad day they can lose against anyone.
Likewise the logic behind Domenech's selection is often not understood. Players like Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, Marseille striker Hatem Ben Arfa and former captain Patrick Viera have not made the squad. One will have to see if Domenech can achieve something with his team in his last tournament in charge. If not then the players selection could come back to haunt him.


But these aren't the only players missing out on the World Cup. Argentina coach Diego Armando Maradona didn't pick Champions League winners Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti besides others, while Luca Toni and Francesco Totti will not defend the title for Italy, and Orange coach Bert van Marwijk didn't pick Ruud van Nistelrooy.

And then there are the star players of nations which didn't qualify for the World Cup. Amongst them Peter Cech (Czech Republic), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria) and Andrei Arshavin (Russia).


Do you agree with me? Or do you think other players will be missed more in South Africa.