As much as David Beckham has boosted football's profile in the United States, a World Cup victory over the English star's homeland on Saturday would be bigger.

So says Sunil Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federation and leader of a US bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup that FIFA will decide in December.

"In terms of marketing, you couldn't ask for anything better. It's a dream game from that perspective," Gulati said of the US-England match at Rustenburg.

"It's an unprecedented moment. There will be more interest in this game than any the US has played in a long time.

"The water cooler talk is greater than anything I've seen.

"A win would be fantastic. It would give us a lot of hype and headlines. It would give us confidence.

"But if you have a choice of all that or be eliminated then you would rather be in the second round."

US star midfielder Landon Donovan agreed that advancing was more important than beating England, but didn't shrug off the idea that a win would be the stuff of Hollywood cinematic legend as it was for the 1950 side that shocked England 1-0 in the World Cup.

"It's hard as an athlete who sees the big picture to let myself go there," Donovan said.

"I understand how much this game means but there is more to it. We have to be ready to react no matter what happens on Saturday.

"I don't know who would play me in the movie. I like Johnny Depp, though."

Gulati has a long-term focus as well when it comes to what a US win over England would mean today.

"I don't measure it at all in terms of payoff. This isn't about financial gains if the team is successful. This game is about where the sport is in the US," Gulati said.

"People are clearly talking about the US-England game. The question is what's happening on July 15. That's the opportunity we have, to get a bunch of people who are casual observers turned on."

Record US television coverage and promotion of the World Cup have followed the arrival of English icon Beckham with the Los Angeles Galaxy, although he will miss the World Cup through injury.

Beckham's much-hyped US arrival was hindered by injury but has still had an impact, helping MLS add clubs and boosting the sport's US following in a land where American football, basketball and baseball rule.

"He has been great for MLS," Gulati said. "It has been a positive effect.

"David has taken us into households that we haven't been to before.

"Do people come back when David Beckham is not playing? That's the longer lasting issue."

Donovan, a Beckham teammate with the Galaxy, has seen first hand Beckham's star power ignite passion.

"David has been great in every way. He has almost singlehandedly brought an awareness to our game that wasn't there before," Donovan said.

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