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Johannesburg - David Beckham is hoping that the World Cup will help alleviate some of the biggest problems affecting South Africa.
The midfielder recently visited the 2010 host nation and supports a number of charity projects across the African continent, including UNICEF and Malaria No More.
While the staging of the tournament is set to bring more money to the country, Beckham is hoping it brings increased awareness around diseases such as AIDS.
"Football changes lives. It changes people's attitudes and I think this World Cup will bring exposure to certain things," he told FIFA.com.
"To some extent it already has. In Cape Town I visited a hospital where I met women and children with HIV - and that really touched me.
"So I hope that the battle against diseases like that will be in the public eye. The World Cup will also bring a lot of money to South Africa, which may help to regenerate certain parts of this country," concluded Beckham.
The midfielder recently visited the 2010 host nation and supports a number of charity projects across the African continent, including UNICEF and Malaria No More.
While the staging of the tournament is set to bring more money to the country, Beckham is hoping it brings increased awareness around diseases such as AIDS.
"Football changes lives. It changes people's attitudes and I think this World Cup will bring exposure to certain things," he told FIFA.com.
"To some extent it already has. In Cape Town I visited a hospital where I met women and children with HIV - and that really touched me.
"So I hope that the battle against diseases like that will be in the public eye. The World Cup will also bring a lot of money to South Africa, which may help to regenerate certain parts of this country," concluded Beckham.
