Beckham will equal Bobby Moore's mark of 108 appearances for the Three Lions if he plays some part in next week's friendly with Germany in Berlin.

Whether he gets the chance is open to doubt given Fabio Capello has previously stressed he will only select players currently engaged in competitive combat and Beckham's Major League Soccer season with Los Angeles Galaxy finished a month ago.

However, with a loan move to AC Milan secured from January, Beckham should certainly be involved in a planned friendly with Spain in February that would see him equal the best England total for an outfield player.

He would then be 17 behind Shilton, knowing if he keeps his place in an England side that makes significant inroads in the next World Cup in South Africa, he would have a chance of becoming the most capped England player of all-time.

And Ferdinand hopes he does it.

"He would be going some if he could do that," admitted Ferdinand, speaking at a sponsoredbyyou.com event organised by England sponsors Nationwide Building Society.

"But if he does it then it will mean we've had a good tournament - so I'd love him to do it."

Merely mentioning Beckham in the same breath as Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton, who discovered the Londoner at one of his soccer schools two decades ago, is enough to bring some seasoned observers out in a fury.

But there is little doubt the 33-year-old has made the most of his talent.

Dismissed as nothing more than a free-kick taker by some, lauded as the best crosser of a ball in the game by others, Beckham does tend to polarise opinion.

However Ferdinand, like Beckham a veteran of that famous 5-1 win in Munich on England's last trip to face Germany under Sven-Goran Eriksson seven years ago, feels the former Manchester United man does not deserve the fierce criticism he receives.

"If you've got the caps you deserve to be up there," said Ferdinand.

"Nobody gave him those caps for fun - it hasn't been an easy ride to get where he is now, he's earned it.

"He's a superstar on and off the field and a top player as well.

"In an England shirt he's always put in 100% and was probably one of the main reasons we got to the 2002 World Cup after that win in Munich - especially when you remember the game against Greece when he scored in the last minute.

"People keep saying 'does he deserve this or that?' but they forget what he did at Man United before he even went to Real Madrid.

"He won five or six championships, FA Cups, European Cup, League Cups, Charity Shields - so he can't be that bad a player! He's won more trophies than probably Bobby Moore did.

"Of course Bobby Moore won the World Cup, which is the ultimate trophy. But domestically Becks has won everything. He has warranted being in England squads and England teams.

"In my eyes if you get to 108 caps you deserve to be there."

While the next World Cup probably represents the last tilt at football's biggest prize for Beckham and possibly Ferdinand as well given he celebrated his 30th birthday last week, Arsenal's Carling Cup win over Wigan on Tuesday proves England's future is in safe hands thanks to the likes of Jack Wilshere.

"You are always interested to hear about good young English players no matter where they are playing," said Ferdinand.

"You like to cast your eye over them and have a little look and see how they are doing.

"It's encouraging for England. It looks like they have some real talented players down at Arsenal and we've got some coming through at United as well.

"The manager at United doesn't like us talking too much about the young players and putting pressure on them but I feel someone like Danny Welbeck has got a real chance of becoming a top player.

"He's at a club where it's difficult to get into the team, especially in his position because we've got some quality players there.

"But he is someone who does things in training sessions that make you think he's got something most people haven't. So the future should be good for England."