David Beckham admits helping England win the right to host the 2018 World Cup would mean as much as all the success he has enjoyed during his illustrious career.

Beckham has won the Champions League, six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Manchester United as well as the Spanish title at Real Madrid.

The LA Galaxy midfielder, currently on loan at AC Milan, is also England's most capped outfield player, has captained his country 59 times and played in two World Cups, with a third in South Africa next year a distinct possibility.

But even those impressive achievements would fade in comparison to playing a role in bringing the World Cup back to England for the first time in 52 years.

Beckham was part of the successful bid to win the 2012 Olympic Games for London and now he will be one of the English FA's most visible faces of their own campaign as a bid vice president.

"It would be up there with winning and the success I've had in my career because to be part of a successful bid, like I was with the Olympics, would be a huge honour," Beckham said at the FA's official launch party on Monday.

"There is a lot of hard work to be done. There is politics in all different sports throughout the world and I know how difficult it was getting the Olympics to our country.

"The World Cup is a different ball game. It will be difficult, there will be hard work and lots of ups and downs along the way but the end result is the most important thing.

"If we get what we want and get the World Cup to our country then we'll prove that it will be a success.

"We, as a country, are always ready for big competitions. If someone was to say next week we'll stage a tournament in England, I don't think there are many other countries who would be ready to do that."

Beckham and his international teammate Wayne Rooney weren't even born when England last staged the sport's biggest single event back in 1966, a tournament that culminated in victory for the hosts in the final against West Germany.

Images of England captain Bobby Moore holding aloft the Jules Rimet trophy and Geoff Hurst's controversial second goal in the final are still etched into the nation's sporting memory.

Beckham will be retired by 2018 but Rooney will be 32 and the Manchester United star would love to still be around to help England win the World Cup on home soil.

"Sir Bobby Charlton is one of the legends and when he speaks about playing for England in the World Cup in front of his own fans, it's only something you can dream of," Rooney said.

(AFP via China Daily May 20, 2009)