Say what you like about Fabio Capello, he is no tool of the FA's marketing department. Basing David Beckham's return on a nice little friendly against the United States in May would have suited the men of commerce nicely. Sell a few tickets on the back of his century of England games; sell the television rights at a sky-high fee over the water; everyone's a winner. Lovely jubbly, as those chaps at the Premier League like to say.

Dry old stick that he is, however, Capello made his decision on more than a pound sign and a star-struck queue of Japanese tourists at the box office. Indeed, he made it on something that does not get much of a look-in these days. Football.

Capello recalled Beckham for the match against France in Paris next Wednesday because the England manager believes that it is the best thing to do for his team, because now is the right time to assess his form and fitness against opponents who represent a genuine test and because his presence will send a firm message to the younger players who covet his role.

There was a time when the selection of a winger such as Aaron Lennon, of Tottenham Hotspur, was considered a way of informing the established Beckham that his standards must improve. Now the argument has been turned on its head.

When Steve McClaren, Capello's predecessor, brought back Beckham last year for the competitive match in Estonia, it made little sense. Now the time is right. Beckham deserves his place in the squad if only because no one in the 21 months since the 2006 World Cup finals has made that position his own. Steven Gerrard sulked when asked to play there, while Shaun Wright-Phillips blew hot and cold. Only Beckham, in brief spells during matches before the rigours of his new life in California took too great a toll, came anywhere near to reaching the standard required of an England midfield player, so he may as well have another crack at it.

As Capello knows from his time at Real Madrid, Beckham with a point to prove is a different proposition. As Beckham knows from his time at Real, Capello will not tolerate complacency, no matter how stellar the name. On paper, at least, if Beckham, 32, can stay fit, their reunion should work.

The timing of Beckham's return is positive for the player because it is the least sentimental decision Capello could make. Had he picked him for his first match in charge, against Switzerland, during the Major League Soccer (MLS) close-season and without a game of any substance in almost three months, it would have been a sop, a last hurrah, a meaningless lap of honour at Wembley before his career went west for good. Had Capello delayed Beckham's return until the spring matches against the US and Trinidad & Tobago, little of worth would have been gleaned, little that would have indicated how he may fare in World Cup qualification matches next season.

By contrast, playing France in Paris is as serious as Capello's early fixture programme gets and picking Beckham shows that the manager is sincere about the player's prospects. If he wished to flatter Beckham or patronise him, he could have handed over his 100th cap, patted his head and sent him on his way last month. He would not pick this match to do that.

This is a true test and there can be no excuses if Beckham fails to rise to the occasion. Although the MLS season is yet to begin, Beckham will play his first match for the Los Angeles Galaxy on the Sunday after England play in France and Capello will feel that any player should have a high level of fitness three days before his domestic campaign starts. Certainly, a lack of physical condition would not be casually dismissed and the Italian will also be watchful for signs that the transatlantic commute has had a negative effect on Beckham's stamina.

This was felt to be the case when McClaren left Beckham out of the starting line-up for the match against Croatia at Wembley in November, having been disappointed with his performance five days previously in a friendly against Austria.

Yet while McClaren's instincts on Beckham were frequently right - overindulged by Sven-Göran Eriksson in his time as head coach, the edge had been missing from his game for a long time before his demotion - there is no harm in giving Beckham a last chance now. Forget the issue of his 100th cap. If this were significant, why not haul Gary Lineker out of retirement so he could have a crack at breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record?

It is the fact that his replacements have failed to seize the moment that has earned Beckham this reprieve. By bringing back a player who will be 35 by the time of the World Cup finals in South Africa, Capello is telling the next generation that what he has seen so far is not good enough.

Lennon should hear the message with most clarity. At the World Cup finals in Germany he was acclaimed as Beckham's natural heir; this week, not only has he been overlooked by Capello, but he has also been dumped by Stuart Pearce, the England Under-21 head coach. Wright-Phillips remains an inconsistent presence for Chelsea, while David Bentley, the best of the bunch, was still not as good as some reviews suggested against Switzerland. Although the Blackburn Rovers winger did enough to merit a second chance, he did not do so much that Capello felt he could safely leave Beckham to his new life and plan England's future without him.

Could Beckham adapt to Capello's 4-2-3-1 formation? Definitely. Indeed, by starting him higher up the pitch, Capello could solve the problem of ageing legs that no longer carry Beckham inexhaustibly along the right flank. It will be interesting to discover whether Beckham starts in Paris or is introduced, and how long his audition runs. Having flown in from Hollywood, he is still far from getting a starring role under this new director, but he has got a call back and, as any old hoofer knows, that is a start.

England squad

To play France at the Stade de France, Paris, on Wednesday

Goalkeepers: D James (Portsmouth), S Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa), C Kirkland (Wigan Athletic).
Defenders: W Bridge (Chelsea), W Brown (Manchester United), A Cole (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Manchester United), G Johnson (Portsmouth), J Lescott (Everton), J Terry (Chelsea), M Upson (West Ham United), D Wheater (Middlesbrough, below), J Woodgate (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfield players: S Gerrard (Liverpool), G Barry (Aston Villa), J Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), O Hargreaves (Manchester United), J Cole (Chelsea), A Young (Aston Villa), S Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), D Bentley (Blackburn Rovers), F Lampard (Chelsea), D Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), S Downing (Middlesbrough).
Forwards: G Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), M Owen (Newcastle United), W Rooney (Manchester United), P Crouch (Liverpool), J Defoe (Portsmouth), T Walcott (Arsenal).