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The jury is out on whether football glamour boy David Beckham will meet the same kind of hero-worship seen in other parts of Asia when he and Real Madrid land in China Friday.

The England captain, the newest member of the star-studded Spanish club, will lace up for the first time with the champion side under the intense spotlight of hundreds of media as part of a pre-season tour.

Chinese and international critics will also be watching carefully to see how Beckham integrates with Real's world class talent, including Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Raul.

While football in China is still in its infancy, it is considered the country's most popular sport.

European leagues are followed avidly, and Real Madrid and Beckham are as much household names as Chinese basketball giant Yao Ming.

But while the former Manchester United midfielder, with his movie star good looks and family man demeanor, usually sparks scenes of public frenzy, Chinese football fans are expected to remain more cool-headed when the 28-year-old touches down.

"I just like him but not to that crazy degree that many Japanese girls do," said football fan Sharon Xu.

Mania last gripped the region in June when Beckham and wife Victoria -- Posh Spice -- swept through Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia on a whirlwind promotional tour.

In those countries, Asia's favourite footballer was greeted with the howling cult-like adulation usually reserved for rock stars.

A healthy dose of pragmatism is more likely to prevail in China.

The novelty of hosting a team like Real Madrid is about the opportunity of getting to see a team of that calibre, said Dong Hua, a spokesman for the Chinese Football Association.

"It will give Chinese football a chance to learn from a first class team," Dong said.

Real Madrid and Beckham will take to the pitch against a Chinese XI on August 2 in Beijing. The nine-day tour of the mainland will also see the team train at a high altitude pitch in southwestern Yunnan province from July 25 to 31.

The Beijing matchup, one in a series of pre-season exhibition games in Asia, is part of Real Madrid's stepped up marketing bid to tap into what is potentially the largest single merchandising market in the world.

Although Real has yet to capture Asia's imagination like Manchester United, China's 1.3 billion people are seen as a key emerging market.

And with the addition of Beckham to the powerful Real arsenal, the nine-time European champions hope his over-the-top popularity in Asia will also infect Chinese hearts, helping them to part with their cash.

"Compared with Japan and Korea, China is still developing," said Brian Lau, senior event manager at sports management and marketing giants IMG.

"You will see more. This is just a start," he predicted.

But while Chinese football fans may look forward with anticipation toward Madrid's and Beckham's first ever visit to China, few have misgivings about the purpose of the trip.

"I'm sure many will watch Real Madrid's tour of China, especially for Beckham," said football fan Yu Xiao.

"But I don't think the match between China's team and Real Madrid will be exciting because the two teams are not on the same technical level," he said.

"The event is just a show."

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