David Beckham has left many a fan breathless through the years with his bending free kicks and shirtless billboards. Now, we come to learn that Becks often is gasping for air at the end of matches because he has suffered from asthma since he was a boy.

An ESPN camera crew spotted the English soccer icon/L.A. Galaxy midfielder using an inhaler during halftime of the Galaxy's MLS Cup loss to Real Salt Lake on Nov. 22. In all his years with the English national team, Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan, he had never revealed that he was asthmatic, though he was on medication for the condition.

His agent, Simon Oliveira, said: ``David has suffered with this since he was a young boy, but it has obviously had no effect on his performance. He has never sought to make it public, but if it does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve great things like many other sportsmen have done, then so much the better. Some of the best athletes in the world suffer from asthma, and there is no problem with his aerobic fitness.''

In fact, English soccer player Paul Scholes and runner Paula Radcliffe also suffer from asthma. Don't expect this revelation to have any effect on Beckham's bid to play in the 2010 World Cup.