May 25, 2002

IWAKO, Japan, May 25 (DS)- Argentinean midfielder Diego Simeone revealed he is looking forward to another meeting with England skipper David Beckham this summer, the Daily Record reported.

Four years ago Beckham was sent off at France 98, with Simeone having admitted recently that he deliberately cheated on that night in St Etienne. Speaking in Iwako where Argentina are training he said: "It can't just be called a first-round game - this match will tell us the truth about the entire World Cup.

"There are only five teams that can win the competition and they are Argentina, England, Italy, France and Brazil.

"If we have both won our first games, when Argentina and England meet it will be a barbaric, murderous epic.

"So if Beckham wants to face us then I want to face him, one on one, I am not afraid.

"When I boarded the plane to come here I was filled with this incredible sense of happiness because I have the feeling that we just can't lose. We are about to reap the victory based on four years of hard, hard work

"So after this match you will see the truth - the truth about which one of us will go far and which will not."

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