England midfielder David Beckham has suffered from asthma since he was a boy, but it does not affect his performance, his agent was quoted as saying Tuesday.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper published a picture of the 34-year-old using an asthma inhaler during his US club LA Galaxy's MLS Cup final defeat to Real Salt Lake.

"David has suffered with this since he was a young boy but it has obviously had no effect on his performance," the Mail quoted his agent Simon Oliveira as saying.

"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," he added.

Beckham, who has won multiple English Premiership titles with Manchester United and a Spanish league title with Real Madrid, was denied his first Major League Soccer championship when Galaxy lost in a penalty shootout Sunday.

The England veteran is due to go back to Italy's 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.