KEY POINTS:
The world's highest-paid soccer player passed on priceless footballing advice to thousands of young fans yesterday.
Jemma Pickstock, 7, from Kristin School, was one of six children called out at random from 6500 in the stands at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium to join David Beckham and the LA
Galaxy in drills at a training session.
At one stage, during heading practice, Beckham bent down to Jemma, the youngest of the group, and whispered something in her ear.
It seemed to work because, having just missed a header attempt, she made firm contact with the next one.
Jemma later said that the soccer megastar's advice to her was "keep your eye on the ball".
Another of the lucky six to spend half an hour on the pitch with Beckham and his teammates, 9-year-old Teaa Tawhi, from Oranga School, said the experience made him want to become a better soccer player.
Teaa said Beckham complimented him on his soccer skills, and the words would motivate him.
"It was exciting and I was very happy," he said.
With the United States Major League Soccer competition in its off-season, the LA Galaxy are in Auckland to play a charity match against an Oceania All Stars selection tonight.
Children from 130 schools throughout the Auckland region were at the Galaxy's practice yesterday, and also for the Oceania session that followed.
But all eyes were on Beckham, and there was a cacophony of screams when the former England, Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder arrived.
The Galaxy trained for about 75 minutes, and Beckham stayed on for about 10 minutes afterwards, signing autographs as he was mobbed by fans near the team bus.
While the former England captain can lay claim to being the most recognised footballer, his drawing power hasn't extended to selling out the 32,000 tickets for the match.
The Auckland Regional Council, which owns Mt Smart Stadium, yesterday expanded a two-for-one ticket deal to everyone who had bought a ticket.
General manager of parks Lance Vervoort said the decision was only fair after a sponsors' group offered two tickets for the price of one on every ticket sold from Thursday night.
About 15,000 tickets were reported to have been sold by Thursday.
The organisers need to sell 19,000 to breakk even.
Mr Vervoort said staff had told him that 1000 tickets were sold in two hours after the announcement of the offer extension.
"Things are taking off and we're expecting a big walk-up crowd with the announcement."
Mr Vervoort said organisers estimated the total gate would be "well over 20,000".
- NZPA