Quick football world tour

IF, LIKE me, you’re not much of a football fan, then David Beckham is that good looking chap who used to play professionally and is married to Posh Spice.

David Beckham with local children in Kumnga Village in the Western Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Picture: PHOTO Jackie Nickerson

IF, LIKE me, you're not much of a football fan, then David Beckham is that good looking chap who used to play professionally and is married to Posh Spice.

Oh yeah, and he models underwear (I believe, not like I Googled images or anything).

Beckham's upcoming TV documentary, For the Love of the Game, sheds light on the universal appeal of the game and reveals a more personal side to the footballer.

The one-off special follows Beckham on his mission to play football on all seven continents in just 10 days, highlighting the needs of the remote communities he visits along the way.

During his visit to PNG he plays with a ball made of coconut husk, while in earthquake-ravaged Nepal he nearly gets mobbed by fans during a match with local high school students.

In Argentina he chats in Spanish, presumably from his days playing for Real Madrid, with kids from one of the local barrios (neighbourhood).

The father-of-four has an easy chemistry with the children in each country he visits.

While Beckham will jet out on his private plane back to his cushy life and multi-million dollar mansion, his name is also a big drawcard for raising awareness and funds.

The footage of him playing what is believed to be the first official football match on the ice in Antarctica is pretty stunning.

In a trip of extremes, Beckham then travels straight from Antarctica, via Argentina, to Miami, Florida, where he plays a match against the women's team from my alma mater, the University of Miami.

The rooftop match among the glittering lights of downtown Miami is certainly a far cry from the muddy pitch in PNG or the gravel in Djibouti.

The doco culminates in a charity match at Old Trafford, after which Beckham reflects: "They say it's only a game, but it transformed my life so for me it's the only game."

David Beckham: For the Love of the Game airs on UKTV on Sunday, January 24.

Originally published as Quick football world tour