Beckham and Barnes join 2018 World Cup bid 20/10/2008 |
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David Beckham and former England winger John Barnes are to join England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
The pair will support the newly formed executive board as vice-presidents ahead of the final vote to be made by Fifa in 2011.
"There is a lot of work to do if England is to win," Jamaica manager Barnes told thefa.com.
"I will do everything I can to help bring the tournament to England," added current international Beckham.
"I was able to play my part in the successful London 2012 Olympic bid and throughout my career have witnessed the difference sport makes to peoples lives, all over the world."
Former Liverpool star Barnes was recently appointed manager of Jamaica, where he was born, while LA Galaxy midfielder Beckham is still a member of manager Fabio Capello's England squad and looking to add to his 107 caps.
Barnes told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I will be used to enhance the profile of the bid in the Caribbean and Africa, and David Beckham will be used in the Far East."
Further vice-presidents will soon be announced and the appointments of Beckham and Barnes reflect an initial wave of ambassadorial roles as England 2018 Ltd, the company responsible for the bid, continues its preparations.
England hosted the World Cup in 1966, the only time they have won the tournament, but failed with a bid to host the 2006 World Cup, which was held in Germany.
Fifa vice-president Jack Warner provided hope to England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup in June by claiming that all other bids would be a "distant second".
"The catalyst of my support for England for the bid for 2018 is because I don't believe any country of England's football pedigree should not have a world cup for almost 50 years," he said at the time.
"What England needs is to have somebody like a David Beckham to be its ambassador out there to sell the idea.
"Beckham is loved by all. Beckham is like Pele and therefore use him to sell the idea. For many people it would bring a legitimacy to the bid."
The 2010 World Cup is being held in South Africa and will move to Brazil for 2014.
(Source: BBC Sport)
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