Beckham out a month with ligament damage
Soccer superstar David Beckham will miss a month with ligament damage in his right knee that should not affect his American debut later this year.
Soccer superstar David Beckham will miss a month with ligament damage in his right knee that should not affect his American debut later this year.
The prognosis was announced Monday by Real Madrid, Beckham's team in the Spanish Primera Liga. A statement on the club's web site said Beckham has "a grade II sprain to the internal lateral ligament of the right knee. The estimated time he will be out is around four weeks."
Beckham, 31, suffered the injury in the second half of Sunday's match with Getafe. The former England captain underwent tests Monday at Real Madrid's Valdebebas training ground, where the damage was confirmed.
In January, Beckham signed a staggering five-year, $250 million deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS this summer, when his contract with Real Madrid expires.
Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas said in a statement that the team "did not expect this injury to affect his arrival in Los Angeles or his debut with the Galaxy."
The immediate future is a different story. Beckham already had been omitted from Madrid's squad for Wednesday's Champions League match against Bayern Munich. He also will miss this weekend's clash with archrival Barcelona and perhaps three more Primera Liga games.
Beckham will be unable to play for a European All-Star team in a charity match at Manchester United on March 13. The injury also scuttles any chance Beckham had of playing for England in Euro 2008 qualifying matches vs. Israel and Andorra.
The injury occurred when Beckham attempted a cross and ran into the advertising hoardings behind the goal. He stayed on the pitch in an attempt to run off the injury but, in obvious discomfort, was replaced by Antonio Cassano in the 69th minute.