SINGAPORE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Retired English soccer star David Beckham charms children at Singapore charity promotion event

Record ID: 190037

  • Title: SINGAPORE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Retired English soccer star David Beckham charms children at Singapore charity promotion event
  • Date: 7th July 2013
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (JULY 7, 2013) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** RETIRED ENGLISH SOCCER STAR DAVID BECKHAM WALKING IN FOR PROMOTIONAL EVENT BECKHAM POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH PRESIDENT AND CEO OF MARINA BAY SANDS, GEORGE TANASIJEVICH BECKHAM WITH TANASIJEVICH PHOTOGRAPHERS BECKHAM ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETIRED ENGLISH SOCCER PLAYER DAVID BECKHAM SAYING: "I'm excited to see you all because obviously as you know I have four children and I obviously love them a lot and I've always had a very good relationship with working with children, you know, it's very inspiring seeing you all. It's always inspiring watching children play football or play sports." PHOTOGRAPHERS BECKHAM SIGNING FOOTBALL JERSEY ON STAGE BECKHAM SHAKING HANDS WITH LOCAL YOUTH FOOTBALLERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUDENT FROM THE SINGAPORE ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF, 12-YEAR-OLD SHARIFFAH FAAIQAH USING SIGN LANGUAGE TO SPEAK - INTERPRETER SPEAKS THE WORDS: "Yes I was very excited and I got to touch his hands. Yes, because I know he's a footballer, he's a very famous footballer" SOUNDBITE (English) STUDENT FROM THE SINGAPORE ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF, 13-YEAR-OLD LIM JUN HAO USING SIGN LANGUAGE - INTERPRETER SPEAKS THE WORDS: "It was a great and exciting experience. Yes I got an autograph so I was very happy" BECKHAM WITH CHILDREN ARRIVING ON STAGE BECKHAM WITH CHILDREN ON STAGE PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAMEN GROUP SHOT WITH CHILDREN ON STAGE BECKHAM SCRATCHING NOSE GROUP PHOTO OF CHILDREN IS TAKEN BECKHAM SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS BECKHAM GREETS CHILDREN WITH HIGH-FIVES ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Singapore
  • Country: Singapore
  • Topics: General,Health,People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAT74CES4T8ESU6BRA8RR4MSKG
  • Story Text: Retired soccer star David Beckham was in Singapore on Saturday (July 7) to lend his support in raising funds for a local charity.
    Beckham met and signed autographs for Singaporean children during the event, at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, where he also signed a Paris Saint Germain jersey.
    The signed jersey will be auctioned off during the "Sands for Singapore Festival" from the 16 to 18 August and the proceeds will be given to a local charity, Art Outreach.
    Sixty children, aged eight to 17 years old from the Guardian Academy, a local sports academy and children who were linked with the Singapore Association of the Deaf attended the event.
    Beckham, former England captain and former Manchester United star, said he was inspired when watching children play football.
    "I'm excited to see you all because obviously as you know I have four children and I obviously love them a lot and I've always had a very good relationship with working with children, you know, it's very inspiring seeing you all. It's always inspiring watching children play football or play sports", said Beckham, who won league titles in England, Spain, USA and France.
    Two deaf children said they were excited they got to meet Beckham.
    "Yes I was very excited and I got to touch his hands. Yes, because I know he's a footballer, he's a very famous footballer," Shariffah Faaiqah, a 12-year-old student said in sign language.
    "It was a great and exciting experience. Yes I got an autograph so I was very happy," 13-year-old Lim Jun Hao said.
    The jersey will be on display to the public in Marina Bay Sands before the auction.
    In March, China named the former England captain as its global soccer ambassador to revive the game's image after a match-fixing scandal and an exodus of international players from China's super league.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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