By DPA
Wellington : Football superstar David Beckham was given a traditional Maori welcome when he arrived here Thursday with his LA Galaxy team mates for an exhibition match against the local Phoenix side.
A crowd of about 500, including teenage girls who said they had skipped school to see the player, were waiting at Wellington airport when the team flew in from Sydney.
More than 15,000 schoolchildren are expected to be at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium Friday morning to see Beckham and the Galaxy players in a training session.
Organizers are hoping that more than 31,000 spectators will be at the stadium Saturday evening for the game with the Phoenix, setting a new record for a football crowd in New Zealand, where rugby is the most popular sport.