...and for rival Coca-Cola

Andrew Coker, of Coca-Cola, told the newspaper it was "marvellous" to be able to feature Beckham on the special-edition bottle.

"We talked about various promotional activities with the FA and this was agreed on," he said.

It is understood that Coca-Cola is able to use the England captain as long as two other players are featured.

So the new Coca-Cola bottles, which promote this summer's competition in Japan and South Korea, will also feature Beckham's Old Trafford team-mate Paul Scholes and Liverpool youngster Steven Gerrard.

Britney ad

Pepsi, whose latest advert depicts Beckham taking on a team of Japanese sumo wrestlers, said it would be making legal checks about the development.

The Pepsi ads bring together 11 football stars including Brazil's Rivaldo, France's Emmanuel Petit and Italy's Gianluigi Buffon.

They take on a Sumo team with a collective weight of 2.3 tonnes and surprising footwork skills for the prize of a fridge full of the soft drink.

Both the Coca-Cola and the Pepsi advertising campaigns will be launched in May.

Beckham is also expected to feature on Pepsi packs, and to appear with pop star Britney Spears in a special World Cup commercial.