David Beckham & Zinedine Zidane Make Footprints

This weekend, there were a lot of happy kids in El Segundo California as two of the worlds most recognized and sexiest soccer athletes - David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane - helped kick off the ‘Footprint Fields Community Program’ at the Campus El Segundo Athletic Fields. “I’m really excited to be back, and it’s a pleasure for [Zinedine and I] to be here” said Beckham. “Facilities like this give kids a chance to have a safe place to play and will help to grow the game in this country.”

Beckham and Zidane were on hand to help launch ‘a new nationwide community initiative to inspire and enable an American soccer nation’…which in theory sounds great, but in reality? Not so sure…an American soccer nation? I don’t see it happening…if Becks couldn’t kick-start this nations soccer-libido when he came aboard the Galaxy ship, then I’m not quite sure how he and Zidane are going to infuse soul into this initiative…but Becks feels differently. “It’s all about growing the game in this country,” said Beckham. “Kids can come down to these facilities and enjoy themselves, and that sends American soccer in the right direction.”

Maybe the key IS to get Europe’s biggest soccer names and dangle them in front of the next generation…kids were going nuts as Beckham and Zidane stuck their feet into the concrete while announcing the Footprints Fields donation program-granted, the kids were more interested in getting the dirty towels used to clean our Hotties feet after implanting their soles in concrete, but who could blame them, I would have done the same thing-actually, I probably would have pushed a few kids outta the way to get one but that’s another post.

The Footprints Fields program is a collaborative effort by MLS W.O.R.K.S., FieldTurf and adidas to build new turf soccer fields in urban locations and communities all over the country. This year, the program will build fields in communities in New York City, Milwaukee, Seattle, Inglewood, Calif. and Vancouver. “The ‘Footprint Fields’ program is designed to encourage soccer players of all levels and backgrounds to pick up a ball and join 10 friends on the field to play the beautiful game of soccer,” said Patrik Nilsson, adidas America President. “From cleats and balls to uniforms and fields, providing the right equipment and infrastructure is an important way we can inspire and enable an American soccer nation.”

“It’s nice to see the U.S. taking a bigger role in soccer,” said Zidane. “It was good to see the national team do so well in the FIFA Confederations Cup and to beat the Spanish. It proves that soccer in the U.S. is rising to another level. It’s also great to see adidas take such a large role in helping to grow the sport of soccer in the United States…the importance of supporting youth soccer and growing the sport is my passion now that I’m retired from the professional level.”

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda@athlebrities.com