SOUTH AFRICA: ENGALND FOOTBALL TEAM LED BY CAPTAIN DAVID BECKHAM MEET WITH FORMER PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA

Record ID: 190159

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: ENGALND FOOTBALL TEAM LED BY CAPTAIN DAVID BECKHAM MEET WITH FORMER PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA
  • Date: 22nd May 2003
  • Summary: (W5) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 21, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. AIRCRAFT CONTAINING ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM TAXIING ON RUNWAY 2. CLOSEUP OF INSCRIPTION ON AIRCRAFT 3. AIRPORT STAFF ON TARMAC 4. ENGLAND CAPTAIN DAVID BECKHAM WALKS ACROSS TARMAC 5. CROWD WATCHING 6. BECKHAM AND OTHER TEAM MEMBERS ON TARMAC 7. COACH TAKING TEAM AWAY 0.59 (W4) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 21, 2003) (REUTERS) 8. SCU BECKHAM WALKS IN 1.03 9. MV BECKHAM SHAKES HANDS WITH FOMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA 10. ENGLAND PLAYERS FILE PAST MANDELA 1.36 11. MV BECKHAM PRESENTS ENGLAND SHIRT TO MANDELA 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID BECKHAM, CAPTAIN ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM, SAYING "As England captain I'd like to just say it's a great honour for me, the manager, the FA and the rest of the players to be here today. I said yesterday, to meet a great man such as you it's an amazing honour for everyone involved in the FA and the England team, so we've brought a shirt down." 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NELSON MANDELA SAYING "Ah very good." 2.23 (W5) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 21, 2003) (REUTERS) 14. MEDIA WATCHING ENGLAND PLAYERS TRAINING 15. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS EXERCISING 16. BECKHAM TRAINING 17. ENGLAND TEAM TRAINING 3.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVA1DM3942H7VA4VNO78H0BWZO0Y
  • Story Text: The England Football team led by captain David Beckham
    has arrived in South Africa and met Nelson Mandela before a
    friendly match with South Africa on Thursday.

    England captain David Beckham described meeting Nelson
    Mandela as an "amazing honour" on Wednesday (May 21, 2003) as the
    former South African president asked him to back the country's
    bid to host the 2010 soccer World Cup.

    Mandela later said he was sure Beckham would throw his
    weight behind South Africa's World Cup aspirations.

    Beckham, who leads England in a friendly against South
    Africa on Thursday, smiled and presented an English soccer
    jersey to the anti-apartheid icon an avid sports fan.

    "To meet a great man such as you is an amazing honour for
    everyone involved in the FA (Football Association) and the
    England team," said Beckham, who spoke softly and appeared
    nervous with Mandela.

    He handed the 84-year-old a white jersey with "Mandela 03"
    printed on the back. Mandela jokingly said he would not put it
    on for fear of offending the South African team.

    South Africa faces rival bids from five other African
    countries. South Africa narrowly lost its bid for the 2006
    tournament after a controversial vote handed it to Germany.

    Beckham told reporters in Durban on Tuesday a World Cup in
    South Africa would be amazing.

    The England squad's visit to South Africa has been given
    blanket coverage by the country's media, with newspapers
    splashing pictures of Beckham's new, braided "corn-row" style
    hair.

    Mandela, asked about Beckham's hair, laughed and, touching
    his own white hair said that he was too old to express an
    opinion on this latest development.


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