Soccer player David Beckham to star in BBC documentary film
LONDON -- Soccer player David Beckham will star in the documentary film "David Beckham: For the Love of the Game," which has been commissioned by the BBC. The film will see Beckham play soccer in seven continents.
The 90-minute film follows Beckham on a journey to the villages of Papua New Guinea, the foothills of Nepal, the streets of Buenos Aires, the desert plains of Djibouti, the manicured pitches of Miami and the frozen wastelands of Antarctica, where he will play soccer with local people, and learn about their lives. He will travel with childhood friend Dave Gardner.
Off the pitch, Beckham and Gardner will explore the lives of those who struggle to make a living in environments that present a daily challenge as well as those who get to live the dream when they make it to the big leagues. The journey ends at Old Trafford, the home ground of Beckham's former club Manchester United, where he plays his final game with a host of well-known soccer players to bid farewell to the game.
The film will "showcase a rich and varied tapestry of characters, all linked together by one game, seeking to discover what the game means across the globe and whether it still has the power to transform lives as it did for him," the BBC said Monday.
Beckham said: "I remember sitting on a plane and discussing this idea with friends, and never thinking it would become a reality. I'm genuinely excited now we can realize this ambitious idea. Whether as a player or out in the field for UNICEF and other charitable partners, I have seen the transformational effect that sport, and in particular football, has on people's lives. This epic journey will allow me to show the positive side of the game I love and shine a light on the passion and selflessness of people that play this sport as a force for good."
The show is jointly commissioned by the BBC and its sales arm, BBC Worldwide, which will distribute the program, and produced by Big Earth Productions. This is the second documentary that Beckham has made for the BBC. Last year "David Beckham into the Unknown" was a global hit with BBC Worldwide distributing the program to more than 165 countries.
See photos of David Beckham with his children:
