Forget Ronaldinho and Kaká, the player fans want to see strutting his stuff in the Barclays Premier League is David Beckham. The former England captain is on a one-man mission to convert Americans into soccer lovers, but according to an exclusive poll carried out by Populus for The Times, Beckham would be welcomed back to England with open arms.

Ronaldinho and Kaká are the names that come to mind when supporters try to pick the best player in the world but the Brazilians are no match for Beckham in our poll. When asked which player they would most like to see in the top flight 39 per cent of supporters picked Beckham ahead of Ronaldinho on 26 per cent and Kaká on 17 per cent. Lionel Messi, the Argentina and Barcelona winger, is fourth with 6 per cent.

While our findings will put a smile on Beckham’s face, the verdict of supporters on the state of the game should send a shiver down the spine of Brian Barwick, the chief executive of the FA. Nearly nine out of ten supporters think that the governing body should be overhauled and 71 per cent of fans believe that the FA is not properly equipped to handle transfers and should be replaced by an independent body.

The foreign businessmen who have dug deep to buy Premier League clubs should also be worried as more than seven out of ten supporters think that their involvement and investment is not good for the game – 51 per cent of fans want the Government to introduce legislation that would prevent any more overseas investors from following in the footsteps of Roman Abramovich and Malcolm Glazer.

It should not all be doom and gloom at Soho Square this weekend. Steve McClaren, who is widely believed to have been a less-than-in-spiring choice to replace Sven-Göran Eriksson as the England head coach, has more friends than he thought. Only about one in 20 fans think that he is the worst England manager ever, but there is bad news for Cristiano Ronaldo and Victoria Beckham.

Despite being crowned the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Year last season, the Portuguese winker is still the most hated player in the top flight. Being less popular than Joey Barton must hurt Ronaldo, but how will Beckham and Wayne Rooney feel when they find out what fans think about their other halves? The race to be crowned the best-looking WAG was nip and tuck until Cheryl Tweedy pipped Gemma Atkinson at the post with Posh Spice and Coleen McLoughlin bringing up the rear.

David, don’tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like Cheryl? Don’tcha?

Interviews with 2,049 members of the public were conducted by Populus for The Timesbetween July 20 and 30, 2007. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Who would you most like to see play in the Barclays Premier League?

Bored of the Beckhams? Not according to our poll. Goldenballs, below, may be past his best, but he is still more popular than Ronaldinho, Kaká or Lionel Messi. If the former England captain’s American adventure ends in tears, expect to see him back in the Premier League soon.

David Beckham 39%, Ronaldinho 26%, Kaka 17%, Lionel Messi 6%, Samuel Eto'o 4%, Don't know 8%.

Are there too many foreign players in the British game?

Sven-Göran Eriksson may think that foreign players will solve Manchester City’s problems, but our findings suggest that fans have had enough of watching 22 Carlos Kickaballs running around on a foreign field. Sven, there’s still time, get your chequebook out and buy British!

Yes 85%, No 15%

How do you rate Steve McClaren as England head coach?

It is supposed to be the hardest job in football, but despite poor performances against Croatia and Macedonia, Steve McClaren has more friends than he thought. No need to get carried away though, Steve, nearly one in two supporters think you are doing a poor job.

Decent 39%, Poor 43%, Worst ever 6%, Don't know 9%.

Should West Ham United have had points deducted because of the Tévez and Mascherano affair?

Love them or hate them, West Ham United are playing in the Premier League this season and there is nothing that we - or Sheffield United - can do about it. Millions of words have been written about the Tévez, below, and Mascherano affair, but according to last season’s table, West Ham finished fifteenth and avoided relegation by three points.

The club were found guilty of acting improperly and withholding vital documentation about the Argentina players’ ownership. If West Ham had had points deducted, they would be kicking off the season in the Coca-Cola Championship and Sheffield United would still be in the top flight.

Even West Ham supporters would concede that they have been lucky and they can expect to hear chants of “Premier League?You’re Having a Laugh” this season.

Yes 65%, No 20%, Don't know 15%.

In the wake of the Lord Stevens inquiry, should there be a complete overhaul of the game’s governing bodies?

The inquiry, headed by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, into corruption in football found no evidence of irregular payments to players or club officials, but mud sticks and the message from supporters is loud and clear: the FA and the Premier League are drinking in the last chance saloon.

Yes 87%, No 13%.

Should the governing bodies be replaced by an independent body to handle transfers?

However hard the FA and the Premier League try to clean up their act, supporters still think that the governing bodies should be doing a better job of running the national game – especially when it comes to overseeing transfers and dealing with agents.

Yes 71%, No 29%.

Is increased foreign ownership of clubs good for British football?

Roman Abramovich, Malcolm Glazer, George Gillett Jr, Tom Hicks, Randy Lerner, Eggert Magnússon, Thaksin Shinawatra and Alexandre Gaydamak have one thing in common: according to our poll, they are only in it for the money.

Yes 71%, No 29%.

Should the Government intervene to stop foreign businessmen buying British clubs?

Will there be any British-owned clubs left in the top flight by 2010? Foreign businessmen are rushing to buy Premier League clubs - nine are already in foreign hands – but the jury is out on whether the Government should get involved before it is too late.

Yes 51%, No 49%.

Should HawkEye technology be brought in to determine whether the ball has crossed the line?

Can the beautiful game learn anything from cricket and tennis? If the FA and Premier League sanctioned the use of HawkEye technology, Tottenham Hotspur fans wouldn’t still be moaning about the Pedro Mendes goal that never was at Old Trafford in January 2005.

Yes 94%, No 6%.

Should controversial or close offside decisions be decided using video technology?

Can the beautiful game learn anything from rugby? Having a third official in the stands would slow down the game, diminish the authority of the referee and give television pundits even more to argue about. But if it is good enough for the egg-chasers, why shouldn’t we give it a try?

Yes 81%, No 19%.

Which of the following Premier League players do you like the least?

Try as he might, Cristiano Ronaldo cannot shake off his tag of being the most hated man in English football. The Manchester United and Portugal winger has become one of the best players in the world since his antics ensured that Wayne Rooney was sent off in the Word Cup quarter-finals in Germany last summer, but English fans have long memories.

How can we forget the wink, the dives, the tantrums, the diamond earrings and the drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend? If we didn’t hate you, we wouldn’t be human.

El-Hadji Diouf may spit farther, Craig Bellamy may attack teammates with golf clubs, but English fans will always have a love-hate relationship with Ronaldo. United supporters love him, we hate him.

Cristiano Ronaldo 24%, El-Hadji Diouf 16%, Craig Bellamy 10%, Joey Barton 10%, Robbie Savage 9%, Frank Lampard 6%, Jens Lehmann 4%.

Who is the best-looking WAG?

Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home, except Ashley Cole - he knows he does. The Chelsea and England left back turned stomachs with his dire autobiography last season and he will always be Public Enemy No 1 at the Emirates Stadium, but when the going gets tough he can rush home and fall into the arms of Cheryl, his adoring and perfect wife. As for Posh, the less said, the better.

The big question is this: why do football fans love Mr Beckham but find ’Er Indoors the female equivalent of Ronaldo? No poll in the world could explain the effect that David has and the jealousies he provokes. That’s one for the psychiatrist’s couch.

Cheryl Tweedy (Ashley Cole) 21%, Gemma Atkinson (Cristiano Ronaldo) 20%, Melanie Slade (Theo Walcott) 17%, Alex Curran (Steven Gerrard) 16%, Abigail Clancy (Peter Crouch) 9%, Noemie Lenoir (Claude Makelele) 8%, Coleen McLoughlin (Wayne Rooney) 6%, Victoria Beckham (David Beckham) 4%.