David Beckham will play for Real Madrid again after Fabio Capello, the coach, completed a humiliating about-turn yesterday over the former England captain. Capello said that he had made a mistake to ostracise Beckham and named him in the 20-man squad to face Real Sociedad tonight, a month after saying that he would not pick him again.

Beckham has missed Real’s past six games, only two of which they have won, because Capello was furious at the player’s record move to the Los Angeles Galaxy. However, Capello said yesterday: “At first we doubted that he could train and play with the same desire after having signed such a big contract, but a few weeks ago I started to see that he was working hard. This week he has trained perfectly. He has the support of his teammates and he has behaved as a great professional. I have seen that he is committed and that is why I have recalled him.”

Asked if he had been hasty in saying that he would not pick Beckham again, Capello said: “Intelligent people are able to make good a mistake. I don’t think I have lost any authority in the dressing-room because of it. He is here until the end of the season and we will be counting on him.”

Beckham’s return comes after a week during which more than 80 per cent of almost 12,000 fans responding to a poll on the website of Marca, the Spanish sports daily newspaper, said that they wanted him back in the team. Raúl, the club captain, had also demanded his return.

His month on the sidelines began on January 10, when he was left out of a Spanish Cup tie against Real Betis. The next day he rejected Real’s offer to extend his contract and that afternoon he signed a $250 million (about £128 million) deal with the Galaxy.