David Beckham folds like a lawn chair, out for weeks

By Stone Martindale Aug 31, 2007, 15:14 GMT

Lots of this, not many goals, 250,000,000. dollars EPA/PAUL BUCK

Quarter-billion dollar boy David Beckham will miss six weeks because of sprained right knee.

So much for the fanfare of Beckham brought to the US to spark interest in a sport barely on the radar compared to NFL or even Hockey.

Beckham could miss the rest of the Los Angeles Galaxy's season after being diagnosed with a sprained right knee Thursday. The midfielder underwent an MRI exam that confirmed he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee, the team said in a statement.

The injury also means he out for England's squad. Beckham had planned to fly to London on Sunday for 10 days with the team as it prepares to play Israel and Russia in two European Championship qualifying games.

The 32-year-old Beckham was injured in a tackle with Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar in the first half of Wednesday night's SuperLiga title match. The Galaxy lost 4-3 on penalty kicks.

If all goes well, when he returns the Galaxy would have three regular-season games remaining — against Toronto FC on Oct. 13, New York on Oct. 18 and at Chicago on Oct. 21.

"It's just gone from one thing to another thing," Beckham said Wednesday night. "Maybe it's time for me to just say, 'I need the rest,' and get it right and don't come back until it's right."

He had already dealing with a left ankle injury that caused him to miss seven games since joining the team July 13.

That injury was sustained when playing for England on June 6, not for his Galaxy team in the US who payed the big bucks for his star power.

"He shouldn't play, to be honest. He's hurt, but he's playing," Galaxy coach Frank Yallop said Wednesday night. "That shows the character of him and it shows the character of the team because he lifts the team when he plays.

"It's hard because he's struggling with injury. He's trying his best."