But his father, Ted Beckham, has said today that he will be fully recovered in time for the tournament - and that there is still a chance of him making the Champions League final. Beckham has spent some time recently in an oxygen chamber which was successful in speeding up Roy Keane's recovery.
"David is making good progress and things are looking good," he told a Sunday tabloid.
"He (Becks) thinks he now has a real chance of making the Champions League final if they get there.
"It will be touch and go, but David thinks he can make it and he will definitely be fit for the World Cup, I'm sure."
United and England fans will have their fingers crossed that father Ted is right, Beckham has been in fantastic form recently scoring some particuarly memorable goals against Deportivo and West Ham.
He is arguably England's most important player, without him the English are likely to stuggle in the World Cup having been placed in a group alongside Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria.