'Disappointed' Beckham confirms Team GB squad omission and will miss London 2012

By Sportsbeat Staff

DAVID Beckham will miss out on playing at a home Olympics this summer after confirming he had been left out of the Team GB squad.

SNUBBED: David Beckham will miss out on appearing at the Olympic Games in
London after being omitted from Stuart Pearce's squad

The former England skipper was expected to be named captain and one of three over-age players in Stuart Pearce's 18-man squad - alongside former Manchester United teammate Ryan Giggs.

But the 37-year-old announced he was left out, despite being named in Pearce's provisional squad is not going to London, with Manchester City's Micah Richards, who refused to be on standby for England, getting the call.

"Everyone knows how much playing for my country has always meant to me, so I would have been honoured to have been part of this unique Team GB squad," said the LA Galaxy star.

"Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me. And like everyone, I will be hoping they can win the gold.

"As a Londoner I was really proud to have played a small part in bringing the Olympics to my home town as part of Seb's [Coe] team and I can't wait for the Games to begin and will enjoy every moment along with the rest of Great Britain."

Liverpool's Craig Bellamy is also understood to have been picked as the third over-age player in the squad, which kicks off its campaign against Senegal at Old Trafford on Thursday, July 26.

The news will come as a blow to LOCOG and the British Olympic Association as they hoped Beckham's presence would help sell the million plus football tickets still available.

However, Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt tweeted that the Team GB men's football squad had not yet been submitted, therefore suggesting the squad was not yet decided.

© Sportsbeat 2012