England midfielder David Beckham insisted on Sunday that he will
play on after the 2010 World Cup.
"I've always said I'd love to carry on playing after the
World Cup and that isn't going to change," Beckham told The
Associated Press. "I don't know where the reports have come from,
they definitely haven't come from myself."
The Sun newspaper reported Saturday that the AC Milan player
was planning to retire and return to England once the competition
in South Africa ends.
Beckham is currently on loan at AC Milan from the Los Angeles
Galaxy. The 34-year-old midfielder has started all three games
since returning to San Siro for a second straight season on loan,
playing all 90 minutes of Milan's 4-0 win over Siena on Sunday.
In his first spell in Milan, Beckham scored twice in 18
appearances and such has been his impact that Milan vice president
Adriano Galliani recently said he would welcome him back for a
third spell.
"We will have to wait and see, Beckham said. "I will want to
be playing top flight football. I have a year and a half left on my
contract there (in Los Angeles) and obviously I am going back there
after this, so it won't be a problem."
After returning to Los Angeles from Milan in 2009, Beckham
met with a hostile reaction from Galaxy supporters, but won them
over by helping the team to the Major League Soccer Cup final,
where it lost on penalties to Real Salt Lake.
Despite the disappointment, the former Manchester United and
Real Madrid player still remains hopeful of helping the Galaxy to a
third MLS title.
"We were successful last year, but we want to win it and that
is what we will look to do this year," Beckham said.
