He did not disappoint. Beckham capped his fairytale comeback to England colours on Friday with a decisive contribution to his side's opening goal, whipping in an inch-perfect free-kick for John Terry, arriving late at the back post, to thump home with glee.

There was a neat symmetry in Beckham, England's captain until their ignominious World Cup exit to Portugal last year, setting up his new leader for the side's first goal at the new Wembley, but the jubilant celebrations were as much for the symbol of the side's past as its future.

On the touchline, too, there was joy unconfined. Steve McClaren's decision to welcome back Beckham into the international fold had not met with unanimous approval but when Terry's header bulged the net, England's embattled head coach looked to the heavens and punched the air.

His mood may have been soured by Diego's last-gasp equaliser but, for now at least, his judgement has been vindicated.

If ever there was an occasion tailor-made for a man of Beckham's chutzpah, it was surely this: a gleaming new Wembley, Brazil in town and all bathed in balmy conditions more suited to down-town Los Angeles than north-west London.

Regardless of Diego's late intervention, this was Beckham's night. The reading of his name moments before kick-off produced an ear-splitting roar and his first touch, a tidy lay-off to Steven Gerrard, must have soothed any lingering nerves.

But if the supporters crammed into this glittering arena were expecting to witness Beckham's re-birth as an international footballer, they were mistaken.

All his strengths were present and correct -- the zooming cross-field passes and boundless energy -- but so were the foibles.

There was certainly no hint that Beckham had acquired the discipline necessary to fulfil his duties as a right-sided midfielder: he began to drift inexorably into the middle almost as soon as the whistle had blown.

Beckham has always felt more comfortable dictating the pace and pattern of a match from the centre but, when he is coupled with Gerrard and Frank Lampard, it is a destructive tendency which makes England far too narrow for comfort.

The fault-lines were laid bare as half-time approached when Beckham, collecting the ball just outside the centre-circle, wheeled around, seeking to slip a pass to an onrushing right winger, only to find nothing but empty space.

It was he, of course, who had vacated it moments earlier.

Such failings can be forgiven when Goldenball's dead-balls are at their most destructive but the initial signs were that his radar was skewed. The crowd chattered with anticipation in the 28th minute when Gerrard was scythed down by Mineiro on the fringe of the penalty area, but Beckham's free-kick arced just wide.

It took until the 68th minute for Beckham to find his range. His free-kick from tight against the right-hand touchline was delivered with all the expert precision and firecracker pace of old and Terry, once he had leapt above his marker, Naldo, could hardly miss.

There was still time for one more ovation. Thirteen minutes before the end, Beckham was replaced by Jermaine Pennant and Wembley stood, as one, to acclaim its hero.

Only time will tell if this was his final hurrah or the start of a most unexpected Indian summer.