WHEN he was asked to reflect on a century of England caps earlier this week, David Beckham claimed: "Since 1996 when I made my debut, nothing has changed."

He's right of course, provided a definition of "nothing"

can be stretched to include 99 further appearances, 58 of which were as captain, 17 goals, one of which, against Greece, was arguably the most memorable England scored in an entire decade, two sending offs, one spell of national vilification, two spells of national celebration, two unceremonious demotions, two rapid returns to favour and more multi-million pound endorsements than you can shake a stick at.

Other than that, the global icon that won his 100th cap in the Stade de France last night remains the same as the freshfaced 21-year-old that first represented his country in Moldova in September 1996.

It is easy to mock Beckham's attempts to cast off the shroud of celebrity that has come to envelop him, but given everything that has happened to him throughout the most remarkable of careers, perhaps the constants really are the most incredible things of all.

Beckham's life has changed out of all recognition since he first pulled on an England shirt, but the pride and passion has remained. There is no explanation for his willingness to drag his ageing body to far-flung corners of the world in an attempt to silence the doubters who continue to question his longevity other than all-consuming devotion.

He doesn't do it because he has to; he does it because he wants to, and because to turn his back on his country now would render a century of caps irrelevant.

In many ways, Beckham is the ultimate dichotomy. He is very much a product of the modern age, exorbitantly rich, hugely influential and every bit as comfortable with Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes as with Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand.

But he is also resolutely oldfashioned in terms of his footballing values. Why has Beckham devoted so much time and attention to the pursuit of a 100th cap? Because, for him, it remains the ultimate measure of achievement.

Not wage bills and column inches, or even championship medals and trophies, but appearances on the international stage.

For anyone that continues to believe that playing for your country has to mean more than playing for your club, it is a mindset that gladdens the heart.

While plenty of his contemporaries have turned their back on their country to further their domestic career - Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, Jamie Carragher - Beckham has continued to prioritise playing for England.

Easy to do, the cynics will say, when your club side is LA Galaxy, but Beckham's devotion to the national cause was entrenched long before he crossed the Atlantic.

Ask the midfielder for his most cherished footballing memory, and he will talk of his first international goal against Colombia at the World Cup finals, his first game as England captain against Italy or his last-minute winner against Greece that took England to the 2002 World Cup.

This is a man, remember, who has won cups, titles and even the Champions League, but his happiest times have come in an England shirt.

He grew up dreaming of playing for his country, and every time he does it, he gets a thrill and sense of fulfilment that transcends issues of fame or fortune.

It is an attitude that is out of tune with prevailing footballing fashion, but it is also one that will ensure he is remembered as one of English football's all-time greats.

And that is what he has become. The purists might scoff, but Beckham has every right to consider himself an equal to the likes of Moore, Charlton, Wright and Finney.

He might not have won a World Cup or European Championship, but he has captained his country with honour, dignity and pride. In an era in which international football is in danger of becoming an anachronism, he has provided a link to the great England sides of the past.

He values the history and tradition that comes with the England jersey and, as a result, England's supporters shower him with a praise.

Some might question his right to a place on the right ahead of David Bentley - none question his ongoing role as the de facto figurehead of English football.

Beckham remains king in everything but name, but he will not go on forever. He is likely to be involved in the summer friendlies against the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, and he could even feature in the autumn round of World Cup qualifiers. But as time draws on, he will gradually disappear.

It has to happen, and England will eventually discover a new leader to carry them forward. But Beckham's legacy will endure. With a century of memories to draw from, millions of children will have gone to sleep tonight dreaming of playing for their country. Not for Manchester United, Arsenal or Liverpool, but for England.

It is a process that Beckham himself went through more than 20 years ago. Thanks to his efforts, and in his own words, it is reassuring to think that "nothing has changed".