Surgeon Sakari Orava is optimistic David Beckham will make a full recovery from an operation on his injured Achilles tendon.
David Beckham will miss the World Cup.
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Beckham is expected in Finland on Monday afternoon to undergo surgery on the injury he suffered while playing for AC Milan on Sunday which has ended his hopes of playing in a record fourth World Cup.
England manager Fabio Capello has spoken to Beckham and said "it looks like he is out of the World Cup''.
The 34-year-old's career has also been called into question, but Orava believes the midfielder can make a complete recovery.
"Usually yes,'' Orava told Sky Sports News. "Top athletes usually heal well but it's a few months until you are back at the same level as you were before. I don't think it is a big difference to be (aged) 25 or 35, it will be three, four, five months. Most of these patients come back at the same level, even in a top soccer player.''
Beckham was only in Italy to give himself the best possible chance of becoming the first England player to feature in four World Cups.
The injury occurred with no opposition player near him in the dying seconds of Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo at San Siro.
