Beckham ruled out for six weeks

Beckham limped off after 52 minutes against Portugal

England midfielder David Beckham faces a race to be fit for the new season after being ruled out for six weeks.

Beckham, who has stepped down as England captain, limped out of the World Cup defeat by Portugal.

The Real Madrid star has a tear in his right Achilles tendon and a "lesion" in the ligaments of his left knee.

Six weeks means he would out be until 12 August, just four days before Steve McClaren's first match as England boss, a friendly against Greece.

Beckham, who limped off after 52 minutes of Saturday's quarter-final, which England lost on a penalty shoot-out, had scans on in his injured knee and ankle on Sunday.

A spokesman for the player said he will undergo a second scan on the injuries with the Real Madrid club doctors present.

Beckham, 31, said: "I twisted my knee in the first-half and then I went up for a header in the first five minutes of the second-half and the player landed on my Achilles."

He had planned to have three weeks' rest before returning to pre-season training with Real but the injuries could change his schedule.

McClaren will have a new skipper in place for the match against Greece at Old Trafford on 16 August, with Chelsea skipper John Terry the favourite to take over.

Beckham remains determined not to end his international playing career yet, and wants to be part of McClaren's qualifying campaign for Euro 2008, which begins with a home match against Andorra on 2 September.

He has been capped 94 times by his country, although he said it was 95 when he read out a statement announcing he was stepping down as captain.