Beckham runs for England

David Beckham has been pictured running for the first time since injury threatened his World Cup dream.

The England captain seems to be free from pain as he jogs across a training pitch in Dubai where the squad are on holiday with their families before they fly to Korea on Saturday.

But more anxious fans may notice he appears to be favouring the outside of his left foot as if protecting the middle metatarsal bone broken in that tackle in the Champions' League quarter final five weeks ago.

Today he joined his team-mates for their first training session in Dubai since Sven-Goran Eriksson named the squad that is going to Japan.

In searing temperatures Beckham was seen running on the pitch at the local football stadium in a concerted effort to improve his fitness in time for the World Cup and to acclimatise to the heat the team will face in Japan.

Although there is still a question mark over whether Beckham will be fully fit in time for England's first match against Sweden on 2 June, the sight of him running today will be a huge psychological boost to fellow squad members and England supporters.