David Beckham's flubbed penalty kick in the shoot-out of the Euro 2004 quarterfinal against Portugal was costly for England. But the ball the soccer star blazed into the stands on June 24 is proving even costlier.

　　It has attracted a bid of $12.4 million on the Internet auction site eBay and promises to make a multimillionaire of the Spaniard who claimed it as it sailed through the air.

　　Pablo Carral, who was sitting high in Lisbon's Luz stadium, was soon made aware that he had not just acquired a souvenir when he received an offer of $22,271 from a British newspaper.

　　He then decided to test the water by offering the ball for sale on eBay's Spanish site.

　　Starting at $1.24, bids for the Thailand-made ball have soared as high as Beckham's misjudged shot that led to England's elimination from the tournament.

　　In order to take the ball out of the stadium, the lucky man hid it in his clothes, while was guarded by his two friends.

　　Corral must wait until July 22 when the auction closes to claim his windfall. Ebay's conditions state that bids can only be withdrawn in exceptional circumstances.

　　Naturally, Corral has offered to pay the charges incurred in sending the ball to its eventual purchaser.