Kevin Keegan saluted the performance of Steve McManaman in helping Real Madrid to lift the European Cup for the eighth time and believes England will benefit from the confidence the former Liverpool midfielder will have gained when Euro 2000 kicks off this summer.

The England squad, watching at their team hotel at Burnham Beeches, saw McManaman turn on a super show and score the second goal in the 3-0 win over Valencia in Paris.

Now the England coach will be looking for McManaman to produce the same sort of display when he links up with the squad after enjoying the celebrations in Madrid.

Although McManaman will not be considered for Saturday's game with Brazil at Wembley, he will be available for the match with the Ukraine on Wednesday before Keegan announces his final 22 for the European Championship finals in Holland and Belgium.

'Steve McManaman was tremendous,' said Keegan. 'if he wasn't the man-of-the-match, then I don't know who was.

'We are absolutely delighted for him. We are looking forward to seeing him join up with the squad and bringing the extra confidence with him that he will have gained from such a great result and performance.

'But I have told him to enjoy whatever the Spanish do after they have won something. I want him to celebrate the occasion with his team-mates whom he seems to be getting on fantastically well with.

'Then he can come and join us, watch the Brazil game, which he will not be considered for, with us and then hopefully focus on Euro 2000.'

McManaman acknowledges his European Cup final goal was so important for Real Madrid last night.

A stunning volley from the England international put Real 2-0 up and firmly in control against Valencia.

he also revealed his goal erased Real's worries that Valencia could launch a comeback like Manchester United's against Bayern Munich in last year's final.

United came from a goal down in the last minute to win 2-1 but this time Real stretched the lead and lifted the trophy.

McManaman said: 'The goal gave us a little bit of breathing space and we went on to exploit the gaps.

'At 1-0 you're still thinking about other games like the Manchester United game last year.'

Fernando Morientes had put Real ahead with a first-half header from close range and McManaman pounced to double the lead in the 67th minute.

Raul added another, racing 70 yards to round goalkeeper Jose Canizares and score 15 minutes from time, as Valencia started to take chances at the back and Madrid ran out 3-0 winners.

It was a vital game for Real to win. Not only did it clinch their eighth European crown but the victory ensured their participation in the Champions League, which a disappointing league campaign had failed to do, next season.

Valencia will also be back in the competition after finishing third in the Primera Liga.

McManaman said: 'It was the most important game of my life, especially with us not finishing in a Champions League place. It was vitally important that we won.

'Everyone expects Real Madrid to win every game and coming here it was expected again.

'Personally I'd have liked to score three. As long as I came off the field a winner at the end of the game, no matter how well I played, I'd have been very happy.

'The fact that things have gone very well and the team played very well, I'm delighted.'

Real coach Vicente del Bosque paid a generous tribute to his predecessor, John Toshack. The Spaniard, who took over from Welshman Toshack in November, said: 'I was very lucky to inherit a team that was capable of playing so well in the latter stages of the competition.'

Del Bosque guiding Real through to the final by masterminding victories over last season's finalists Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

'Our former coach made sure we qualified in first place from our opening group and that was vital,' he said.