David Beckham: For the Love of the Game Page #6

for the next few months.

I hope you continue to have

this amazing weather.

(CHUCKLING)

And thank you. I doubt you will...

- Thank you very much.

- But thank you.

(CHEERING)

Stop, stop! Ah!

(LAUGHTER)

I'm too old for this.

(LAUGHTER)

Thank you.

(CHEERING)

We're in a hurry,

because there's high winds.

We have a window

for getting out of Antarctica

because we have to be in Miami

later on this evening, so...

We've finished the game.

Fifth game done.

Five continents.

The toughest one, without a doubt.

Antarctica - it doesn't get

any tougher than this one.

This one is done, but we're now

in a race against time

to get on this plane.

Fingers crossed,

cos if we don't, we're stuck here.

'I've now been awake

for over 30 hours

'and the cold and tiredness

is really beginning to set in.

'But even though I can't feel

my toes, I'm still buzzing.'

As far as we're concerned, that was

the first official football match

played on Antarctica.

Incredible.

I'd never thought

I'd have the opportunity

to do something like this.

I just wish my kids could see this.

This trip was always ambitious.

When we first started

talking about it, I laughed.

Physically, it's demanding,

but we always knew

it was going to be demanding.

I was ready for that,

physically and mentally.

Someone was looking down on us

for the Antarctic,

because this was the only day

that we could have done it.

With only three days

to the big game at Old Trafford,

we head to our sixth

continent - North America -

and my second-to-last game in Miami.

'I've travelled 8,000 miles,

and haven't had much sleep.

'My body clock is all over the place

'and I'm finding it hard

to tell day from night.

'At least it's slightly warmer

than the South Pole.'

(DAVID YAWNS)

I can't lie, I don't feel great.

Maybe it's going around the world

three times in four days

has something to do with it.

I feel exhausted,

and I'm slightly worried about

how I'm going to feel

for the game on Saturday.

People are going to look at me

in Old Trafford and say,

"He's gotten really old really quick,

he looks so tired."

'Miami is a place I know really well.

'I'm going to set

my own football club up in this city.

'I'll be spending a lot of time

in Miami over the next 10, 20 years.

'And hopefully enjoying seeing

a team that I own be successful.'

COMMENTATOR:
Donovan to the top.

Beckham!

'I lived in America for six years

when I played for the LA Galaxy.

'In that time,

'I've seen the popularity of the game

grow incredibly.

'It's one of the few countries

in the world

'where the women's game

is as popular as the men's.

'I think parents see soccer

as a game in the US as a safe game.

'The contact of the game is not

as much as, say, American football.

'So, that's why a lot of young girls

go into playing the game.'

'Tonight, for my sixth game,

'I'm playing with

the Miami University team.

'I'm off to meet up with

a few of the players.'

Are you ok?

Did you enjoy tennis tonight?

Yeah? Good boy.

Well, you should get to sleep.

If your mum finds you're

on the phone, she won't be happy.

If you sing a Tottenham song to me,

as an Arsenal fan,

then I won't tell your mum.

(HE CHUCKLES)

You can't do that?

Hey, girls.

- Hello.

- How are you doing?

- Welcome.

- Thank you. Good.

- Welcome to the University Of Miami.

- This is amazing.

- We got you a shirt. - You did, ok?

- So you kind of match with us.

- Ok, good. Thank you very much.

- For you. - Thank you.

Ah. This is beautiful.

It's unbelievable.

It doesn't get much better than this.

'Coach and former

international player Mary Munroe,

and one of her star students,

Jasmine, take me behind the scenes.

This is our locker room.

This is like a full-on,

professional, you know,

it's kind of what we get when we play

for Manchester United or Real Madrid.

It's amazing.

'Soccer scholarships

help finance those

'that can't afford

a university education.

'Without one, Jasmine, who's

a 21-year-old criminology major,

'would not have been able

to attend Miami.'

Without soccer, I would probably

be at community college back home.

Soccer's really let me travel,

as well as get a great education,

as well as help me in my personal

life, coming out of my shell,

being more confident within myself.

Um... I'm so grateful.

Football should never be known

as a man's sport.

Over the years, living in Europe,

it has been.

But you come to

somewhere like the US,

and the girls are so respected

for doing such a great sport.

And that's exactly

how it should be.

Have you run into many challenges

with your daughter playing soccer?

Um... No challenges, actually,

apart from my wife.

- That's the only challenge.

- That's a pretty big one.

That is a pretty big one.

But she's not saying,

"No, she's not playing soccer."

She's just like, "Come on, we've got

three boys, they play soccer."

"Let me just take her to ballet."

(WOMEN CHEER AND APPLAUD)

'I've never played

on a rooftop pitch.

'I'm excited about this one,

'the fact that I'm playing

with two girls' teams

'which, I think, is going

to be very challenging

'because I think that these girls

know how to play the game.

'They're very competitive.

'It's going to be a difficult one

'but one that I'm actually

really looking forward to.'

'Hopefully, I will get through

this game without any knocks

'or any injuries. But I know

these girls are very competitive.

'So, um... fingers crossed.'

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

(PLAYERS SHOUT INSTRUCTIONS TO EACH OTHER)

(CHEERING)

'Only five minutes into the game,

'and I'm taken out

by one of the Buccaneers.'

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

(CHEERING)

Former USA international Mary pops up

and scores a great goal for Miami.

It must be that lucky Number 7 shirt

she's wearing.

Jasmine gets on the scoresheet

as well.

(CHEERING)

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

'It's half-time. I need to change

shirts and swap teams.

'I hope I can keep up.

'The game is really competitive,

and I'm knackered.'

I'd love to go in goal, actually.

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

(CROWD SHOUTS)

(FINAL WHISTLE)

'A high-scoring game ends 7-5

to the whites of Miami University.'

- Good game.

- Good game.

'I loved this game today.

Toughest game. Most technical game.

'I think the girls

play with passion.'

You can see that the coaching that

they've been getting has been great.

And you can see the advantage

of having a campus

and a university support

like they have.

My body, at the moment,

feels shot from the travelling

and also playing games. But, um...

you know, I've enjoyed it.

Six down, one to go.

It's been a hell of a journey.

Now, to Old Trafford.

I've travelled around the world

in nine days.

Remarkably, I am home for

my seventh and final game in Europe.

'To arrive on home soil

is a massive relief.

'Tomorrow, I'll be playing my UNICEF

fundraising match at Old Trafford.

'It's kind of surreal,

considering, a few days ago,

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