LONDON 2012: Team GB confirm Beckham has made first football squad cut

Posted: Wednesday 18th April 2012 | 14:27

DAVID Beckham, Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy, Joe Cole and Stephen Fletcher are still under consideration for Stuart Pearce's Olympic football team, Team GB officials have confirmed.

ONE STEP CLOSER: David Beckham is on Stuart Pearce's 80-strong 'shortlist', Team GB's chief executive Andy Hunt confirmed

Pearce approached over 200 players to find out whether they would be interested in representing Great Britain this summer and after receiving positive responses from 191 has whittled that down to a 'shortlist' of 80.

Team GB chef de mission Andy Hunt, in an interview with the BBC, claimed all corners of the United Kingdom were represented, including Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Brunt.

Pearce will name an 18-man under-23 squad next month but can include three over-age players.

Hunt claimed that despite continued opposition to the formation of a British team from the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland FAs, all accepted they could not prevent players from taking part.

He also said that clubs, who are not keen on a tournament that will majorly impact on their pre-season plans, were also supportive.

“This has been squared with the clubs and with the players," he said.

The draw for the Olympic football tournament will be made at Wembley Stadium next week and the 1.5 million tickets that remain will also go back on sale.