David Beckham ruled out of World Cup

The dreaded pre-World Cup injury has hit the England team with David Beckham set to miss out on his fourth World Cup after tearing his achilles while playing for AC Milan.

The former England captain led his nation in their last World Cup outing against Portugal in the quarter-final in Germany 2006 but limped off injured just after half time.

Beckham left the field tearfully as it looked as if he was making his last appearance for England in a World Cup. Well, unfortunately, his intuition proved right as it is almost certain he will miss out in South Africa come June. Torn achilles tendons usually take upto eight months to fully heal posing further questions over Beckham's remaining career.

With many England fans fearing that Wayne Rooney would be struck down with injury prior to this summer’s World Cup Beckham has become the first of the England stars to be ruled out.

While all the talk surrounded Rooney, currently in blistering form for Manchester United, and fans praying he wouldn't get injured it turned out to be one of England's most experienced members of the talented and gifted list that suffered.

Beckham was not a certainty to start in the World Cup but he was sure to feature in some way and I feel that the England squad will miss the 34-year-old midfielder hugely.

There is no question that the team especially Peter Crouch will miss his golden ball delivery but with his future playing career also in question you have to feel for Beckham, capped 115 times for his country.

The injury brings to an the end an eventful week for Beckham who played at his boyhood club Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday in an emotional reunion with the Old Trafford crowd.

Beckham was tearful again on Sunday as he discovered he would miss the World Cup and had reportedly already been consoled by England boss Fabio Capello hours after the incident.

In my eyes, Beckham is - or should I say was - England’s first choice right winger ahead of Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott in a four-four-two system. And the experience he brought with him into the dressing room having been involved in many highs and lows for England would have been invaluable.

There is no question that this is sad news for England fans – you only have to look at the contributions he has made over the years and the way he has responded from media and public criticism - most noticeably after his red card in France 1998 - to realise that.

But Beckham can take away with him one of the greatest individual contributions a player has made to their country. The moment that rekindled every England fan's fondness when he curled home a free kick in the dying minutes against Greece to help England qualify for the 2002 World Cup.