World Cup - Beckham has asthma

Reuters - Tue, 24 Nov 08:12:00 2009

David Beckham has suffered from a mild form of asthma since childhood, according to the England midfielder's spokesman.

david beckham england - 0

The 34-year-old Beckham was photographed on Sunday using an inhaler during L.A. Galaxy's 5-4 defeat on penalties by Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer's championship game in Seattle.

"David has suffered with this since he was a young boy, but it has obviously had no effect on his performance," Beckham's agent Simon Oliveira was quoted as saying in The Daily Mail.

"He has never sought to make it public but if it does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve great things like many other sportsmen have done then so much the better."

Beckham played extra time with Galaxy for the second time in two weeks on Sunday and was coughing badly after the game having struggled with a cold in the build-up to the MLS final.

He had pain-killing injections before the match to cope with a bruised right ankle and limped through extra-time with Galaxy having used all three substitutes.

Beckham scored his penalty but Galaxy captain Landon Donovan was among those to miss and Salt Lake won the shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time to claim a surprise triumph.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder will rejoin AC Milan on loan in January as he bids to make England's World Cup squad for next year's finals in South Africa.

Reuters

Comment 33 - 52 of 52

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  1. To Jake N, Think before you write something, asthma­ like epilepsy is a disability not a life sentence and­ the more morons out there realise this the better for­ all, for the record and based on your short sightedness­ asthmatics do achieve and can achieve, just for you,­ some lesser known asthma sufferers in sport are Dennis­ Rodman, Paul Scholes, and Paula radcliffe as well as­ some very unimportant people that could achieve nothing­ in your view ie Beethoven, Bob hope etc.

    From john d, on Wed 25 Nov 7:05AM

  2. You'd think someone would have spotted him before­ this. Especially since he's "had it since­ childhood". And if it really is true, you'd­ think someone would have reported it by now seeing as­ it is SOOO IMPORTANT(!!!)... I wonder how much he got­ paid to fill asthmatic children's heads with the­ delusion that they could "achieve­ anything"...

    From Jake N, on Wed 25 Nov 1:28AM

  3. "He has never sought to make it public but if it­ does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve­ great things like many other sportsmen have done then­ so much the better,"
    good luck to him

    From chalky white, on Tue 24 Nov 10:32PM

  4. At least he can afford the inhalers. At £7.20p an­ inhaler most asthma suffers have to do without.

    From Bat Jonesy, on Tue 24 Nov 9:52PM

  5. Another case of a celebrity stunt to drawn in viewers.­ Loads of people have asthma in the world. What makes­ him so special with asthma. I find this really pathetic­ and sad. so he is gonna get even more money.

    From asim_khan_best, on Tue 24 Nov 9:15PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I SMOKED 300 @#$% A DAY NEVER CAUSED ME ANY PROBLEMS,SO­ WHAT IS A LITTLE ASTHMA..

    From uncle joe c.c.c.p., on Tue 24 Nov 8:58PM

  7. who cares

    From e.c.holden, on Tue 24 Nov 8:46PM

  8. BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING!!!
    David Beckham­ was seen using an asthma inhaler, lets all spread the­ word!
    I appologise readers i was overcome bout of­ sarcasm.

    From Binarystar, on Tue 24 Nov 8:03PM

  9. all he wants is the money.i dont like him

    From Jen, on Tue 24 Nov 7:39PM

  10. So what????????????/

    From Myway, on Tue 24 Nov 7:15PM

  11. yeah david beckham has kept a secret but i think he­ shouldent be band from football as he has never shown­ this condition in his football cereea lets hope nothin­ happens if any of you lot are beckham fans

    From charlesyazdanparast, on Tue 24 Nov 7:03PM

  12. poor love.
    Just think the player he could have been....

    From viconline, on Tue 24 Nov 7:02PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Scholes also suffers from Asthma, and it has never­ stopped him becoming the player he is. It was probably­ an empty inhaler anyway. Beckham maybe hasn't been­ in the papers for a while so why not puff on an­ inhaler, that'll do the trick! OK magazine­ probably have the rights to photograph his first Asthma­ attack. To think, I used to think he was great when he­ was a footballer.

    From VT5060, on Tue 24 Nov 6:31PM

  14. Well said comment 43, Becks has been in the lime light­ for the best part of 15 years­ now............"FIRST I HEARD OF IT" He has­ kept this close to his chest, not made any issue's­ about it and nor has any of his footballing Managers.

    From billie.murray, on Tue 24 Nov 4:50PM

  15. wow, who cares, millions of people have asthma, who­ gives a @#$% if he has it.

    From simon, on Tue 24 Nov 3:55PM

  16. Stop the world David Beckham has asthma. Who gives a­ @#$%?? News flash David Beckham @#$% too!!

    From Sherri, on Tue 24 Nov 3:49PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Oh becks gt asthma! i hate it now! hes got asthma y­ should we bother bout it. loadz of ppl have asthma just­ coz becks is famous doesnt mean hes speacil if he has­ an inhaler! Wt bout some propa headlines bout footie­ not asthma

    From Aamina, on Tue 24 Nov 3:39PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    It's from all the weed

    From MikeyB, on Tue 24 Nov 3:10PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Beckham has asthma - mild or not - why didn't he­ mention this in the deluge of interviews, biogs, etc­ ?
    What better example would there have been in the last­ decade to show that it doesn't have to hold you­ back.
    It looks like he only admitted it when­ 'caught out' even though there should be no­ stigma - you can't catch it
    Unfortunately he will­ be remembered for what he didn't do as much as what­ he did

    From Nick H, on Tue 24 Nov 2:22PM

  20. Are you kidding me? This is what classes as a football­ headline these days?! What has the sport come to.. :(

    From Detective Stina, on Tue 24 Nov 1:59PM
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