FRIDAY is the day David Beckham can prove he is world class.

He has been described as such for the last four years because he shines so brightly at domestic level.

But world class players produce on the world stage against the best sides on the planet and this is what Beckham will face.

Beckham's brilliance in the Premiership leads people to think he is one of the best players in the world. But the Premiership is not the World Cup.

Beckham was no better than okay in France '98 and his two best games for England have come against a bad Germany side when every England player was magnificent and against Greece.

His performance against the Greeks was the best individual performance I have ever seen by an England player but Greece were not a great side.

Beckham is a fantastic Premiership player as well as a great character and role model. Whether he is up there with Zidane and Rivaldo we will discover.

I sincerely hope he does but I fear he will not.

I believe Beckham is a great domestic player and a fine international but not world class. However, I and the rest of us will find out on Friday.

Four years ago against Argentina it was a defining moment in Beckham's life as a person. Friday will be his defining moment as a player.

I will be willing Beckham to prove he is world class and if he produces the goods I will be delighted to hold my hands up and admit I was wrong.