David Beckham has been ruled out of the 2010 World Cup after tearing an Achilles tendon towards the end of Milan’s Serie A game with Chievo last night.
Having listened to various radio interviews with sports injury specialists last night, this injury isn’t one of the ‘he might be available at the end of the tournament’ types that the England team has suffered before: this is more along the lines of ‘he might play again.’
While it is undoubtedly a personal blow for Beckham – had he gone to South Africa it would have been his fourth finals, an English record – whether or not it is a blow to the team’s chances is up for debate. Beckham’s loss may be Theo Walcott’s gain.

More later: the other thing that springs to mind is that Adam Johnson scored a Beckhamesque goal for Manchester City at Sunderland yesterday and may now be in consideration for a late, late call up.