German legend Beckenbauer was in London yesterday to promote this summer's World Cup Finals and confessed he is a secret fan of English football.

The Kaiser, who won the World Cup as both a player and a manager with Germany, believes coaches all over the world will be interested in taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson, who will step down after the World Cup.

He said: "For me it's maybe the best job in the world. It must be a target or an aim for every coach in the world to have a chance to coach the English national team.

"It's England, you know? The motherland of football. All the roots of the game are in England, it's a wonderful job.

"It's not for me, I left that behind a long time ago, and it's not my business to talk about the successor to Eriksson.

"But I wish The Football Association good luck to bring the right man to the position. There must be thousands of coaches wishing to be the manager of the English national team."

Beckenbauer is also confident that England will not be affected by Sven announcing his future plans early - because he did the same months before the 1990 World Cup and still led his team to glory. And he expects the Three Lions to roar in Germany.

He said: "I remember I announced I was going to leave the job as German coach in 1989 but we won the World Cup in 1990. I think the players were happy to get rid of me so they started to run!

"I don't think it will affect England, either. For me England is the best team in Europe so you have a great chance.

"I would say the England defence is the best in the world, it is excellent. The record in qualification games was excellent and it's the basis for a World Cup team.

"And of course you have Rooney. He played a fantastic Euopean Championship and I think the World Cup is a good chance for him to become a superstar."

Of course, Beckenbauer's biggest dream is for Germany to lift the World Cup on home soil in Berlin on 9 July. But he admits if the hosts can't do it he would love to see David Beckham holding the trophy aloft instead.

He said: "I always felt when I was a boy and later as a professional player that I was a fan of English football. I have adored English football since I was a kid.

"My career was like a red line with England always there - in 1966, 1968, 1972. I'm a big fan of English football and I would be happy if they won the World Cup for sure."