David Beckham’s top-flight career over, says coach

Footballer David Beckham's career as a top-flight player is over, according to the coach at AC Milan, Massimiliano Allegri. He believes the 35-year-old is simply too old to get over the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered while playing for Milan in March, and which, to Beckham's huge disappointment, kept him out of England's World Cup squad.

"He is recovering from a bad injury and at that age it is difficult to come back," said Allegri.

Beckham admitted in April that his recovery was taking longer than hoped and that he would not be fit to play again before November at the earliest. This means he will missing the Major League Soccer season in the US unless his club, the LA Galaxy, reach the play-offs.

Beckham will not be pleased with Allegri's prognosis, whether it's accurate or not. He is intent on playing football for as long as possible. He said last month that he even planned to be available to play for England in the 2014 World Cup.

If he has to stop playing football at the highest level, there are plenty of other plans to occupt him, if the Sunday papers are to be believed. The News of the World quoted him as saying that he wants more children with his wife Victoria. "If we have another one or two children then that would be a blessing," he said. Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday claims that Victoria Beckham, an increasingly well-regarded fashion designer, has persuaded her husband to launch a range of men's suits and evening wear under her label. ·