Beckham bends it down under
03 Dec 2007
He came, he played, he went … New Zealand has had its first taste of Beckham fever, and for a country world renowned for its rugby, the fans showed changing codes may not necessarily be a bad thing.
The devastating loss of the Rugby World Cup couldn't have been further from the minds of most New Zealanders as the David Beckham machine swung into action.
The football star and celebrity A-lister spent four days in Wellington, and on-and-off the field he showed he is as charming as he is talented.
Beckham's flying visit featured training sessions in front of adoring school children, VIP events, and culminated in a game between Beckham's LA Galaxy and the Wellington Phoenix.
The 31,000 strong crowd didn't seem to care about the 4-1 loss to their local side, instead the game ignited a fresh passion for football in a country that Beckham described as ''a notorious rugby nation''.
While there were no fantastic free kicks, Beckham did score from the penalty spot. He played all 90 minutes, and showing some deft touches and masterful long-range passing.
The weekend also proved New Zealanders remain refreshingly amateur when it comes to star-stalking. Each day dozens of fans gathered outside the waterfront Copthorne Hotel, but most seemed bashful, embarrassed at such a public display of hero worship.
Whether LA Galaxy's visit will have a long-term pay-off for local football cannot be known - but, if the 15,000 hysterical school kids who flocked to Friday's training match are any indication, the future's looking good.
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