After signing up with Major League Soccer, intent on selling his brand, upping the profile of the sport in America, and conquering LA with his wife, David Beckham had a sudden change of heart.


When it became clear that he still had a shot at England's World Cup team for 2010, Beckham did everything he could to work his way into Fabio Capello's plans. He engineered a loan to AC Milan, and after playing well with a club full of world class talent, negotiated a deal to stay on through the end of the Serie A season. Never mind that he missed half of the MLS schedule, leaving LA Galaxy in the lurch; he was again an England player, and after finishing strong with LA and coming just short of an MLS Cup title, was set to repeat the process.


Despite a lesser role with the Rossoneri than he had enjoyed in 2009, Beckham appeared headed towards his goal in 2010. Cappello was still calling, Beckham's right-sided midfield position remained an area of weakness for the Three Lions, and the World Cup was firmly in sight.


Then injury wrecked it all.


Beckham ruptured his Achilles tendon against Chievo today, and injury that will keep him out at least five months and ends any hope he had for the World Cup. Fabio Capello has likely already scratched Beckham's name off of his list, moving on to other options like Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Aaron Lennon. A crushing blow for a player whose singular focus for two years has been on one more chance at national team glory.


This isn't karma, or justice, or serendipity; it's just the game. The question that must be asked now is if Beckham, at age thirty-four, will push himself to get back to play with LA and finish out his MLS contract.


I'm sure some fans around MLS will delight in this news. Beckham heaps criticism upon himself, and isn't undeserving of some vitriol. But his commitment to England and incredible drive to make it back the the World Cup should be admired, and because of that, some sympathy might be natural.


As for Major League Soccer and the Galaxy, the Beckham Experiment may be coming to an end in depression fashion sooner than they expected.