Beckham - hailed World Cup heroes.

By Tony Kelshaw and Jamie Gardner, PA Sport

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David Beckham has paid tribute to England's rugby World Cup winners following their amazing success in Sydney on Saturday.

Speaking after Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Albacete in the Spanish league last night, the England football captain revealed he had already telephoned match-winner Jonny Wilkinson to offer his personal congratulations.

The pair struck up a friendship while filming a commercial together and Beckham was delighted for Wilkinson, who scored the match-winning drop-goal in the second period of extra-time to see off Australia 20-17.

Beckham said: "I spoke to him on Sunday - he was just about to go to bed I think. He'd just been at another function.

"He's happy. He's just been so influential in this World Cup for England and every one of the players have just been amazing.

"I watched the final when I got home from training, which I'd taped. I knew the score by then because I had a friend in the crowd and when the trophy was being held up he held his phone up so I could hear the noise.

"They deserve everything they are going to get because to put in such a performance, and to win the World Cup, you could see what it meant to everyone in England."

Beckham himself was in a jubilant mood after firing in a stunning 25-yard effort to open the scoring at the Bernabeu.

"I was pleased with it," he added. "It was nice for me to score another one which was not from a set-piece."

And the former Manchester United midfielder once again insisted that all is well in his private life over in Spain.

He added: "I was happy the first day I moved over here, even though I spent three months in a hotel.

"I'm always happy playing good football and it's great football here so of course I'm happy.

"I'm happy my family have settled now as well, so everything is good."

And when cheekily quizzed over reports that he would be moving to Chelsea during the January transfer window, he answered: "I'm not going anywhere."