Beckham to miss another MLS game due to ankle injury
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
FOXBOROUGH, Aug 13 (AP): English soccer star David Beckham resumed his tour of American soccer benches Sunday, sitting out the Los Angeles Galaxy's game against the New England Revolution to rest his tender left ankle.
Beckham has yet to start for the Galaxy since signing a five-year, $32.5 million (euro23.8 million) contract to leave one of Europe's top leagues and give the sport a boost in the skeptical United States. He made his Major League Soccer debut Thursday, but was back on the bench against New England.
The Revolution drew 35,402 for the game, forcing many fans to buy four-game packs for the chance to see Beckham. A few in the front row behind the benches got the former England captain's autograph before the match, but the rest had to settle for a glimpse of him in a white T-shirt, chewing ice from a cup on the Los Angeles bench.
Robert Kraft, the owner of the Revolution and the NFL's New England Patriots, came over to greet Beckham just before the kickoff and brought along actors Dane Cook and Jason Biggs, who are filming the romantic comedy "Bachelor No. 2" in Boston. Colby Jacobson, a New Hampshire high school junior, held up a sign that said, "Marry Me David."
Sixteen-year-old Dan Higgins said Beckham was the only reason he made the hour-long trip from South Kingston, R.I. "He's the best player in the league," Higgins said. "So yeah, I'm disappointed. On a disappointment scale of one to 10, I'd say it's about a nine."
But for other fans, the much-hyped signing seemed to have the effect that MLS officials hoped for when they brought Beckham across the pond.
"I think everyone wanted to see him play. But we're all big soccer fans, so it's just nice to be here and see so many people at a professional soccer game," said Joan Hopkins, who came with her daughter and three buses full of fans from the Portland, Maine, area. "Hopefully the interest in David Beckham will help build momentum in the popularity of the sport."
Kate Hopkins (10) said she was "pretty bummed out" after travelling nearly three hours.
"I wanted to see him because he's a good player," she said, "but my mom thinks he's cute."
The 32-year-old Beckham sprained his ankle while playing for England in June, then aggravated while still with Real Madrid later that month. He played 21 minutes Thursday as a substitute in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United, but tweaked it again.
Beckham has yet to start for the Galaxy since signing a five-year, $32.5 million (euro23.8 million) contract to leave one of Europe's top leagues and give the sport a boost in the skeptical United States. He made his Major League Soccer debut Thursday, but was back on the bench against New England.
The Revolution drew 35,402 for the game, forcing many fans to buy four-game packs for the chance to see Beckham. A few in the front row behind the benches got the former England captain's autograph before the match, but the rest had to settle for a glimpse of him in a white T-shirt, chewing ice from a cup on the Los Angeles bench.
Robert Kraft, the owner of the Revolution and the NFL's New England Patriots, came over to greet Beckham just before the kickoff and brought along actors Dane Cook and Jason Biggs, who are filming the romantic comedy "Bachelor No. 2" in Boston. Colby Jacobson, a New Hampshire high school junior, held up a sign that said, "Marry Me David."
Sixteen-year-old Dan Higgins said Beckham was the only reason he made the hour-long trip from South Kingston, R.I. "He's the best player in the league," Higgins said. "So yeah, I'm disappointed. On a disappointment scale of one to 10, I'd say it's about a nine."
But for other fans, the much-hyped signing seemed to have the effect that MLS officials hoped for when they brought Beckham across the pond.
"I think everyone wanted to see him play. But we're all big soccer fans, so it's just nice to be here and see so many people at a professional soccer game," said Joan Hopkins, who came with her daughter and three buses full of fans from the Portland, Maine, area. "Hopefully the interest in David Beckham will help build momentum in the popularity of the sport."
Kate Hopkins (10) said she was "pretty bummed out" after travelling nearly three hours.
"I wanted to see him because he's a good player," she said, "but my mom thinks he's cute."
The 32-year-old Beckham sprained his ankle while playing for England in June, then aggravated while still with Real Madrid later that month. He played 21 minutes Thursday as a substitute in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United, but tweaked it again.