Zinedine Zidane has hailed departing Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham as one of the game's immortals.

The former World Player of the Year told the Sunday Mirror: "David is immortalised in football history. He is one of the game's greatest players."

France and Real Madrid legend Zidane added: "He knows his own strengths and weaknesses, he's very resilient."

Reflecting on January, when Becks was told he would not get a new Real deal, Zizou said: "The damage had already been done, they should have done more to keep him.

"There was never any doubt in my mind that he wanted to end his career at the club. But what is the point of staying somewhere you're clearly not wanted?

"Is it a big mistake? Absolutely. I think Madrid should have done everything in their power to keep him because he's unique. They won't find it easy to replace him - it's almost impossible.

"I think he's saddened by his departure.

It's not what he wanted. I don't think he ever thought it would end like this."

Yet amid all the sadness, Zidane believes suggestions that Beckham is ready to be put out to grass in California are totally wide of the mark.

He added: "He could have continued playing at the highest level in Europe for a few more years but he's taken on a different kind of challenge in America.

"He's far too driven to even think about taking it easy.

"If anything he will probably be more determined because people have questioned the move. If you look at his form in recent months I don't think anyone can really question whether he has the drive to compete.

"Look at England. People had written him off and he comes back even stronger. It was the same with Madrid. Even when some people said he would never play for the club again he just put his head down and worked hard to play himself back into the team.

"Reaction to adversity is one of David's great strengths.

Some players would just give up, but he doesn't know the meaning of the word.

"Do England have a better player than David? Even they realise that they have made mistakes - just look at his form since he came back. The only thing that surprised me was England leaving him out in the first place.

"I know David loves playing for his country and the one thing you can never accuse him off is lacking drive and commitment.

"Playing for England means everything to him and when people talk about the standard of football in the USA and all the travelling, that will just be a minor irritation to him. David would be the first to admit if he couldn't cope with it."