The soccer star-pop idol David Beckham made a speedy return to Spain to sit in the stands for Saturday's Real Madrid game against Racing Santander, after he had joined in the wedding celebrations of Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

Beckham wanted to stay in Rome for an extra day to watch Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes tie the knot, but Real Madrid didn't like that idea.

The former England skipper had already been ruled out of Saturday's Spanish League match against Racing Santander with a knee injury.

The Spanish team allowed Beckham to travel to Italy to visit the Hollywood couple Friday. Then the club wanted the injured midfielder back in Spain to train.

"He's injured," Madrid coach Fabio Capello said. "He hasn't recovered and he has to train." 

Beckham watched his teammates on Saturday from the Santiago Bernabeu VIP seats but his injury is expected to keep him out of the Champions League match with Lyon on Tuesday.

Beckham traveled to Italy with wife Victoria on Friday to attend a pre-nuptial dinner with Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

However, the player was back in Spain on Saturday to train while wife Victoria, the former Spice Girl, stayed on at the 15th-century castle in the Italian lakeside town of Bracciano to attend Cruise's marriage to Katie Holmes. 　

The 31-year-old former England captain has yet to sign a new contract with Real and with his current four-year deal running out next summer, he will be free to talk to other clubs in January.

Beckham has been contemplating a move to the United States for some time. "I want to play at the highest level for a few more years yet," Beckham said at the World Cup in Germany. "Going to America is one of the ideas that I've thought of in the future."

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2006)