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Beckham's foot grips England

Beckham is stretchered off after a crunching tackle at Old Trafford

LONDON, England -- England football fans have become obsessed with the saga of David Beckham's foot.

The team captain, whose last minute free-kick against Greece booked England's passage to Japan and North Korea, finds his World Cup in the balance after breaking a bone in his foot while playing for Manchester United against Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna on April 10.

Despite an initial prognosis that he may be ruled out for up to eight weeks, United staff later suggested the 26-year-old midfielder could be back in full training in six weeks.

That would give him a chance of making England's opening game against Sweden in Japan on June 2. Even if he needs more time, he could still return for the other group games against Argentina or Nigeria -- or even the second stage if England make it that far.

England's Swedish manager Sven Goran Eriksson says he is "waiting and hoping" that Beckham will recover in time -- but intends to take him with the squad even if he only has a small chance of playing.

Beckham is England's biggest football hero since Paul Gascoigne burst into tears during the semifinal defeat at Italia '90, and during the course of a week the media switched all-out focus from the Queen Mother's funeral to a broken metatarsal bone.

"The Foot -- A Nation Holds its Breath," said the Daily Mirror.

Meanwhile The Sun, the UK's biggest selling daily, carried on its front page a large photo of Beckham's left leg and invited its millions of readers to rub the picture in an attempt at mass faith-healing.

"Beck Us Pray," implored the headline. "Lay your hands on David's foot at noon and make it better."

The Times of London also carried the news on the front page saying: "Forget the Middle East. And who cares about next week's Budget? The one issue that had Tony Blair and his ministers on tenterhooks at yesterday's Cabinet meeting was David Beckham's foot." The prime minister was quoted as telling colleagues that Beckham was England's best hope of winning the World Cup.

Beckham joined a list of injured stars struggling to make the World Cup, including French winger Robert Pires, veteran Italian striker Roberto Baggio and Brazilian Ronaldo.

Professor Tom Reilly, director of research at the Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences at John Moores University, northwest England, said Beckham's injury would have been more serious if he had broken his first metatarsal bone, which is the important bone for kicking the ball.