England need to show their Munich spirit at the World Cup and follow up their 5-1 win over Germany with a good run at the finals, according to their captain David Beckham.
Beckham thinks that while England should not dwell on that historic night in Germany last September, they do need to live up to their subsequent billing on the world's biggest stage.
"The games that we've played, we've played really well," Beckham told a news conference on Thursday.
"We have to forget about the Germany game now -- but the expectations after that were very high.
"We set those standards, so it's up to us to carry them through into big competitions.
"You can't just do it in the qualifying games and then fail once you get to the big competition."
The task will not be an easy one as England start on Sunday in group F against Sweden, a team they have not beaten since 1968, and then tackle tournament favourites Argentina.
Nigeria will be the final opponents to test England's confidence in their ability to play some of the best teams in the world -- and beat them.
"We want to get as far as we can," said Beckham, now fully recovered from his broken foot.
NO JOKE
"We're not out here for just a good laugh, and a good joke. It's serious stuff. It is the Group of Death, as everyone says, and we're in it. We can't slip up at all.
"We've got to believe we can win games. There's no point going into any competition or any game thinking 'let's get a draw and that will be good enough'. We've got to win the game."
Beckham knows he will be pivotal to England's chances in Japan.
But the captain also tried to highlight the rest of a relatively young squad, in which the mood is buzzing after weeks of injury worry.
"I always like to make an impression on a game, that's why I'm here," he said near the team hotel on Awaji Island.
"And that's why we've got the players that we have here -- to make impressions.
"Those who have been brought in for the injured players are not just here to make up the numbers. We've got a 23-man squad with some very, very good players."
As for himself, these finals are an opportunity for the Manchester United midfielder to add to an impressive list of achievements in English club football and the 1999 European Cup.
"When I was younger, I dreamt of playing FA Cup finals, playing at Wembley and lifting that trophy and winning leagues," the 27-year-old said.
"I've been lucky enough to have done that and it would be nice now to have a bit of success at international level. And there's no bigger competition than this."
