HELSINKI — A Finnish doctor set to perform surgery on David Beckham's Achilles' tendon said Monday there is a "glimmer of hope" the injured England star will recover in time for the World Cup.Surgeon Sakari Orava said Beckham could not be expected to be fit just three months after surgery but that he did not rule it out."I suppose it would be realistic to presume he would not really be fit enough, but there have been these miraculous incidents when a person has been fit enough to play top level football three months after (surgery)," Orava told Finnish broadcaster YLE."There's a little glimmer of hope still alive here," Orava added.Orava, who has operated on several international sports stars, including runners Frank Fredericks, Merlene Ottey and Haile Gebreselassie, said AC Milan's team doctor called him after 1 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday)."The doctor said the tendon's a little bit torn but we don't know if it's completely broken or just partially," Orava said. "Very much depends on how much has been torn and exactly where ... It will have a big impact on the final result and when the person (Beckham) is ready to train hard."He said it was unclear when Beckham would arrive in the southwestern city of Turku where Orava plans to operate on him, except that it was "sometime in the afternoon ... probably 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) at the latest."Beckham, 34, was injured Sunday during the final minutes of AC Milan's 1-0 Italian league win over Chievo Verona when he was by himself with the ball at his feet.
HELSINKI — A Finnish doctor set to perform surgery on David Beckham's Achilles' tendon said Monday there is a "glimmer of hope" the injured England star will recover in time for the World Cup.
Surgeon Sakari Orava said Beckham could not be expected to be fit just three months after surgery but that he did not rule it out.
"I suppose it would be realistic to presume he would not really be fit enough, but there have been these miraculous incidents when a person has been fit enough to play top level football three months after (surgery)," Orava told Finnish broadcaster YLE.
"There's a little glimmer of hope still alive here," Orava added.
Orava, who has operated on several international sports stars, including runners Frank Fredericks, Merlene Ottey and Haile Gebreselassie, said AC Milan's team doctor called him after 1 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday).
"The doctor said the tendon's a little bit torn but we don't know if it's completely broken or just partially," Orava said. "Very much depends on how much has been torn and exactly where ... It will have a big impact on the final result and when the person (Beckham) is ready to train hard."
He said it was unclear when Beckham would arrive in the southwestern city of Turku where Orava plans to operate on him, except that it was "sometime in the afternoon ... probably 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) at the latest."
Beckham, 34, was injured Sunday during the final minutes of AC Milan's 1-0 Italian league win over Chievo Verona when he was by himself with the ball at his feet.