Beckham leaves Finnish clinic after surgery

Mar 17, 2010, 14:25 GMT

Helsinki - David Beckham on Wednesday left a Finnish hospital where he had surgery earlier in the week on a ruptured Achilles tendon injury that rules him out of this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

The England midfielder arrived in Finland on Monday where he was operated the same day by Finnish orthopaedist Sakari Orava at a clinic in the port city of Turku, west of the capital Helsinki.

After undergoing the procedure, Beckham has practiced how to walk on crutches.

Beckham was accompanied from the clinic by his wife Victoria, who arrived Tuesday in Turku, Finnish news agency STT reported.

Police escorted the couple to the local airport where Beckham jetted in Monday on a private plane.

The AC Milan player picked up the injury on Sunday in a Serie A match against Chievo.

Orava said Monday that Beckham's participation in the World Cup - which would have been the 34-year-old's fourth World Cup if he had been selected - was perhaps an 'unrealistic' target.

In a statement posted on his website, Beckham expressed appreciation for 'messages of support' he had received and said the 'operation was a success,' thanking Orava and other personnel that looked after him.