LA Galaxy/AC Milan and England right winger David Beckham is out of the 2010 World Cup after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last night’s AC Milan versus Chievo match.Beckham, whose sole aim for the last two or three years has been to make the England squad for what would have been his fourth World Cup finals, was said to be devastated in the Milan dressing room, as were his teammates.

It is, without doubt, a personal blow of epic proportions for Beckham. His loan spell to AC Milan during the MLS off season was specifically geared to staying fit, continuing to play and keeping himself at the forefront of England manager Fabio Capello’s mind.

As a self confessed Beckham fan, I feel sorry for Beckham. But what does it really mean for England?

We’ve read a few blogs and opinion pieces on the matter and they all seem to agree that it just isn’t THAT big a blow to England’s chances of winning the World Cup.

Well, we disagree. Not because Beckham is at the peak of his powers (he isn’t), or because there are no better options on the right (there are) but because Beckham IS still Beckham and having that presence in the dressing room and those albeit waning talents on the bench would have been invaluable to Capello.

Let’s look at that right wing. Beckham would not and should not have started a game at the World Cup. That’s fair enough to say. That berth should right go to Aaron Lennon of Spurs – except he continues to struggle with a groin injury and it’s not known if he’ll be fit for the World Cup.

Next in line would appear to be either Theo Walcott of Arsenal or Shaun Wright-Phillips of Manchester City. We’re sorry, but neither of these two exactly fill us with confidence.

Walcott has pace and, so far at least this season (one game aside), very little else. Wright-Phillips has a bit more to offer but his season hasn’t set the Premiership alight either.

Bubbling under is James Milner who, by comparison, has had a brilliant season for an ambitious Aston Villa side. But brilliant only by his standards, which aren’t and never will be “world class”.

The names Stewart Downing, also of Villa, and Adam Johnson of Man City have also been mentioned. Please, let’s be serious. One has failed to live up to his promise (though we’ll admit he’s getting better) and the other is a kid – the Theo Walcott of this World Cup if you like.

Which leaves just one name unmentioned. Joe Cole of Chelsea. Now here we have a player who can arguably be called “world class”, at least on his day. Here is a player that has done it for England before. Here is a player Sporting Fare could believe in and trust.

Capello, on the other hand, does not. A season interrupted by injury and then sporadic appearances appear to have put him at the back of the queue for South Africa in the manager’s mind.

Far be it for us to question the great Capello, but in this instance we think he’s wrong. If Joe Cole is fit he should go to the World Cup, especially now Beckham is out. Be it as a starter ahead of any of the names mentioned above or as back up to a fully fit Lennon, we don’t mind. But go he should.

In the meantime, our sincerest commiserations are with David Beckham. Three years of hard work dashed by misfortune only 90 days before his target would have been reached. Heartbreaking, really.