THE one good thing to emerge from England's tough World Cup draw is that we are finally going to find out just how good David Beckham really is.

The Manchester United midfielder's character is unquestionable. His quality, however, is a point of debate for which the definitive answer will be provided in Japan and South Korea next summer.

Beckham is on a shortlist of three for the European player of the year prize and is also being touted as the best player in the world.

At least two of the world's best players disagree.

One of Beckham's rivals for this year's European prize, Real Madrid's Luis Figo, and German midfield tower of strength Stefan Effenberg are both unimpressed.

Is that just professional rivalry or is Beckham over-rated in this country?

While he produced a brilliant display against Greece in England's last match, that performance does not make him a world beater.

It should not be forgotten that, superb as he was, he was up against a team rated as only average in the FIFA world rankings.

The best players in the world perform like that against the best teams in the world and that is the opposition that awaits Beckham next summer.

Beckham is up against quality opposition most weeks in the Premiership and his detractors would point to his failure to assert himself against good teams like Chelsea and Arsenal.

Of course, every player has spells of inconsistent form like Beckham is enduring at the moment.

But true greatness is proved on the big occasion against big teams and only if the England captain stars for his country against Sweden, Nigeria, Argentina can his name be mentioned in the same breath at Bobby Moore, Billy Wright and Stanley Matthews.

If he fails we will know what Figo, Effenberg and others closer to home already believe, that he is a beneficiary of over-hype from a tabloid press desperate to create a superstar celebrity from within the glamorous world of soccer.