Injured Beckham vows to play MLS Cup final

England midfielder David Beckham has a bone bruise in his right ankle, but he still expects to play for his US club Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer championship match Sunday.

Beckham said Friday he will use a pain-killing injection as needed in the ankle to be ready for Sunday’s match against Real Salt Lake on the artificial pitch at Seattle’s Qwest Field.

“You’ve got to be kind of careful with it not to get any kicks on it. So it’s definitely been frustrating, but I’m sure it will be fine for Sunday. Definitely be fine for Sunday,” Beckham said.

“It’s just one of those things that you just have to get through. After five or 10 minutes of the game I’m sure I’ll forget about it.”

Beckham, who has won multiple English Premiership titles with Manchester United and a Spanish League title with Real Madrid, will be playing for the MLS championship for the first time with the Galaxy.

Beckham, speaking to reporters after the team trained on Friday, also said he thinks he has another few years of playing left in him and reiterated his plans to return to Los Angeles after next year’s World Cup, in which he hopes to play for England.

“I’d like to say I’ve got a good two or three, maybe four years left in me,” Beckham said. “Have to wait and see and take it week by week, month by month and year by year, especially being 34 years old. … But I feel good and I feel really fit. I’m playing a lot of soccer and I’m enjoying it.”

He is due to go back to AC Milan on loan after the MLS season, and has said he hopes playing in Europe will boost his chances of making England’s 2010 World Cup squad.

“I’ll obviously, hopefully be involved in the World Cup and then I’ll return for the rest of the season,” Beckham said.