SOCCER/World Cup: Republic of Ireland full-back Stephen Carr will miss the World Cup finals after suffering a relapse of a nagging knee injury.

The Tottenham player has been told to rest for six to eight weeks, meaning he will have to sit out the trip to Japan and South Korea in June.

Carr told his club's website (www.spurs.co.uk): "It's a blow being injured again, but because you miss a World Cup it makes it even harder to take.

"The end of the season has gone now," he added. "The World Cup's gone and it's now about getting myself fit and playing football again.

"I found out last week and it's a massive disappointment. I knew my season more or less had gone at Tottenham so I just wanted to get fit, play a couple of games and get into the World Cup squad - but it's not to be for me this time."

Carr was hoping to appear in reserve team action until he aggravated the injury.

"I had inflammation in there and, unfortunately with the knee, it takes a long time for it to settle down. You have to let it settle down or it will just keep coming back and get worse. I was doing well in training. I felt really, really good.

"That's the problem. You can't take anything for granted coming back from an injury because you can go from being brilliant to really poor. That's what happened with me.

"Any niggle can set you back. The surgeon said it's only a minor problem though and I now have to be patient."

Missing out on action in Japan and South Korea with Mick McCarthy's men has been hard for the 25-year-old to take.

"The worst thing is that there is a World Cup at the end of the season. For the last six weeks it's been hard. One minute I think I'm going to the World Cup, the next I don't. I've been up and down like a yo-yo.

"But it's not to be and I know where I stand now. I've got my head around it now.

"I have to rest now. There is nothing to rush for and I can give it a real chance. I just want to be playing again."

Meanwhile, Manchester United have confirmed a scan on David Beckham's ankle has discovered nothing worse than bad bruising.

Beckham was stretchered from the pitch on Tuesday after an awful tackle by Deportivo La Coruna's forward Diego Tristan, and there were fears his ankle could be broken. A detailed scan yesterday assuaged those fears.

United manager Alex Ferguson will announce today how many matches Beckham is expected to miss, although he is definitely out of tomorrow's trip to Leicester.

A United spokesman said: "The ankle is badly bruised and the manager will provide a further update tomorrow."