BRITISH POP SINGER STUNS BERLINERS WITH 1966 TAUNT

BERLIN, Nov 16 (Reuters) - A member of the British pop group New Order stunned his German audience when he dedicated a song to England captain David Beckham -- a key figure in his country's 5-1 drubbing of Germany in September. Bernard Sumner was cheered at the group's concert late on Thursday when he welcomed Germany's qualification for next year's World Cup, but the cheers turned to boos when he reminded the crowd of England's victory in the 1966 competition.

« You didn't win in 1966 », quipped Sumner, an avowed Manchester United fan, before bassist Peter Hook intervened to assure the outraged audience that Sumner was only joking.

Germany beat Ukraine 4-1 in a playoff on Wednesday to secure their berth in the 2002 World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan.

But memories of their one-sided defeat by England in a World Cup qualifying match in Munich in September were clearly still raw for many in the audience.

Introducing the band's hit song « Touched by the hand of God », Bernard Sumner said: « This song is dedicated to David Beckham -- touched by the foot of God. »

Any bad feelings, though, were quickly forgotten as the Manchester band, best known for their hits « Blue Monday » and « True Faith », put in a storming performance.

Happily for Anglo-German relations, New Order did not play « World in Motion », the song they wrote for England's World Cup soccer campaign in 1990.