David Beckham says the bonuses England players stand to receive at the 2006 World Cup are justified. It has been reported that players stand to earn up to 300,000 each should they win the tournament. Beckham says the figure is not that high.
"The truth is that we're earning less for this World Cup than the last one," he has told the Evening Standard newspaper. "The FA make money and the players always get bonuses. If we do not succeed then the money is not there."
The England captain added: "I know for a fact that every one of the players in our team would play for our country for nothing. There is money in football and we talk about bonuses every time a big competition comes around - and there is always criticism of the players when bonuses are agreed.
"But money isn't the motivation - not at all. When you are a 15-year-old watching the World Cup, you don't dream of playing in it because you can make loads of money.
"Players don't think like that, you want to be there to play on that stage."