LONDON — Fans barely noticed when Wes Brown and Paul Robinson turned their backs on England this week, but when Fabio Capello closed the door on David Beckham on Wednesday, it truly was the end of an era.

Capello's announcement before Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Hungary that the 35-year-old was "probably a bit too old" brought a low-key end to the international career of a player who right up until the day of the match was making it clear he would never walk away.

"I've always said I won't retire from playing for my country," Beckham said in Los Angeles on Wednesday, 14 years after winning the first of his 115 caps.

"If I never get picked again or whether I get picked again for one more game or 10 more games, I'll be available."

In an era when Premier League also-rans feel the need to say "no thanks", Beckham remains a glorious, shining example of why pulling on the shirt of one's national team should remain the ultimate honor in the game.

For all his travails, for all his myriad of off-pitch distractions and his unprecedented celebrity lifestyle, the bottom line is he just loves the game.

From his well-documented days as a London youngster who realized his dream of playing for Manchester United through his remarkable career at Old Trafford, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and AC Milan, Beckham has never given anything but his all.

Behind it all was England, where Beckham experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

A generation of fans — those who last season roared to the rafters when he warmed up from the Wembley bench — will barely remember the 1998 World Cup when, after he was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone during the last-16 defeat by Argentina, his effigy was hung from lamp posts and he was booed throughout the country.

He kept his dignity, kept doing what he did best — delivering crosses like nobody else in the game could and peppering the net with superlative free kicks — and gradually won the fans over.

He was back in credit on the back of his inspired display in the 2002 World Cup qualifier against Greece at Old Trafford, when his last-gasp free kick earned the draw that sent England to the finals.

His stock continued to rise after he converted a penalty to beat Argentina in the group stage, but it was blackmark time again soon after when, protecting an injury, he leapt out of a tackle against Brazil and seconds later England was picking the ball out of its net en route to another quarterfinal exit.

His skied penalty in the quarterfinal shootout defeat by Portugal in Euro 2004 was another painful moment, as were his touchline tears two years later when England lost to the same opposition at the same stage in the World Cup in Germany.

The next day, Beckham relinquished the captaincy and his international career seemed over when new manager Steve McClaren left him out of his first squad, only to eventually recall him.

Capello, who had his own fallout with Beckham when in charge of Real Madrid before relenting, recognized his value on the pitch and around the squad and the older he got, the more popular he got.

Gerrard pays tribute

Steven Gerrard launched a new era for England against Hungary at Wembley and then immediately paid tribute to David Beckham, whose international career had been ended by Fabio Capello.

Gerrard saved England from defeat in its first match since a disastrous World Cup, scoring twice in a 2-1 friendly win after Hungary had gone ahead through a disputed own goal from Phil Jagielka.

But afterwards the talk was as much about Capello's decision that Beckham is too old to take part in England's Euro 2012 campaign, even when he has fully recovered from an Achilles tenson injury that prevented him playing in the World Cup.

Captain Gerrard refused to criticize his manager, who has already been accused of poor communication after Paul Robinson and Wes Brown retired from international football just 24 hours after being included in the Italian's new-look squad this week.

"I don't know whether Fabio has spoken to David, that's a question you will have to direct to Fabio Capello," said Gerrard. "But David can hold his head up high with the service he's given to his country and I'm sure the fans will remember him as a legend.

"He's put in a long shift in as an England player, he's produced some fantastic performances, some fantastic goals.

"He's given us so many memories and he was also a fantastic captain. I've learned a lot playing under him and it's been a pleasure to play alongside him."