Andy Cole believes David Beckham will not call time on his career after rupturing his Achilles tendon on Sunday night.

"He'll come back from the injury, I don't think he'll want to retire on this note," Cole told BBC Radio Five Live. "He'll work his socks off to try to get himself fit.

"It's devastating news for David, his heart was set on going to a fourth World Cup. He will be heartbroken.

"It's not a nice injury, there's a lot of pain and it's a long way back."

Beckham had looked certain to be part of Fabio Capello's 23-man England squad for this summer's finals in South Africa, despite being largely limited to substitute appearances.

"Every time he's come on for England, everyone knows his quality," Cole added. "He came on for 20 minutes at Old Trafford last week and he was fantastic.

"If he had gone to the World Cup, I think he will be missed, even if as an impact player."

Capello will be dreading any further injuries in the coming months, particularly to the likes of Wayne Rooney, but Cole added: "Injuries are part and parcel of football, we can't wrap our players in cotton wool.

"You just hope they get through the season unscathed and do well in the World Cup."

Sir Bobby Charlton also hopes Beckham will figure for England again.

"I don't know if we will see him in an England shirt again. I hope so," said the 1966 World Cup winner.

"I have known him for a long time and he gets a lot of pleasure out of playing the game.

"Forget about all the finance and the hyperbole that goes with it, he just loves playing football."

Charlton was fortunate to avoid serious injury throughout his own illustrious career.

That does not mean he is oblivious to the anguish Beckham must now be feeling at what appeared an innocuous incident that had such major consequences.

"If it had happened to me I would have been distraught," reflected Charlton.

"I was lucky with injuries. He has got one of the worst kind.

"It will take such a long time to get right and you don't have much time when you are 34."

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti believes it is too early to speculate over Beckham's future in the game.

"I'm so sorry for him because I know how he wanted to go to the World Cup," said Ancelotti.

"He came last year to Milan above all to achieve this, to show his quality for the England team."

Ancelotti, at the time in charge of Milan, handed Beckham the chance to begin his fitness battle for this summer's World Cup when he signed him on loan from LA Galaxy last year.

"I'm so sorry for him. I hope he does a good, quick recovery and will come back to play," Ancelotti said.

"It's too early to say his career is over. He had a bad injury, but I hope he comes back to play football. Until now, he's had a fantastic career and, also, he's shown great professionalism."

Peter Taylor, the current Bradford manager and the man who made Beckham England captain while in caretaker charge of the national squad added: "I think the experience of David is what we will miss. If they're inexperienced, there are not many squads that win tournaments.

"It's experienced squads that go and win things, so that's where I think we'll miss David on and off the field. I think a lot of players really do look up to him. I think he will be missed - greatly, unfortunately."

Believing Beckham would have provided a valuable option from the bench, Taylor dismissed some critics suggesting England's squad would not be greatly weakened by his absence.

"I disagree with quite a few people today," he insisted.

"To me the option of David Beckham coming off the bench is a dangerous one as he showed for Milan the other day against Man United (in the Champions League). He put in a couple of wonderful crosses that had goals written all over them.

"He's a dangerous substitute. He'd have improved our squad."

Martin Keown believes Beckham's injury is a "massive blow" to England's World Cup hopes.

Keown said: "There's no doubt he's going to be out for six months. He needs now to look at rescuing his career."

Keown believes Beckham's experience and crossing ability would have earned him a place in England's 23-man squad for South Africa.

"Capello knew there was a role for Beckham in the squad and this is a massive blow," Keown added on BBC Radio Five Live.

"David Beckham is probably the best player technically that I played with in an England shirt.

"You need those types of players."

Keown lamented the latest injury to an England player following Ashley Cole's fractured ankle.

"We can't really afford to keep losing top-quality players in the manner that we are," he added.

Alexi Lalas, the Los Angeles Galaxy's general manager when Beckham joined the Major League Soccer franchise, also expressed sympathy.

"It's a horrible situation for him," Lalas told BBC Radio Five Live.

"Personally, I know how much it meant to him to be at a World Cup and how important he was for an England team.

"I'm sure he's devastated right now.

"He's a very, very important player who's now going to be out for a significant time.

"I don't think this is an injury which keeps him out from playing ever again, but the World Cup, you're talking about three months away.

"I think it would be very, very difficult, next to impossible, but I'm certainly not a doctor.

"But you never want to write off David Beckham - if there's one thing he's taught us it's his ability to bounce back.

"It's devastating I'm sure for him and disappointing for a lot of soccer fans, not just England fans, but David Beckham fans, but US soccer fans and Galaxy fans."

Former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both expressed their sympathy for Beckham, with Lineker feeling the injury could end the midfielder's career.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It's a serious injury if you're 21, never mind if you're in your mid-30s. It's a big ask to come back from this - even in his career, really."

Shearer, speaking on the same station, believes Beckham will be sorely missed when England kick off their campaign in South Africa.

"He's still got plenty to offer, I think it's a blow for Fabio Capello and the England team," he said.

"I certainly think he would have been in the squad and I think he would have had a role to play - probably not a starting role but his experience would have been so valuable."