David Beckham opened his London football academy alongside the Millennium Dome on Monday, just a short distance from where the England captain was born.

The 30-year-old Real Madrid midfielder watched a video presentation before taking part in skills sessions with local school children.

"This is a special day for me and one of the proudest moments in my life," Beckham said.

"I have for many years had an ambition to give children the same opportunities I had through football coaching.

"I wanted an environment where children could learn but more importantly have fun. This has surpassed my highest expectations.

"As a young boy I attended the Bobby Charlton soccer school with dreams of becoming a professional footballer."

The academy has two full-size pitches plus classrooms, training facilities, changing rooms and restaurants.

"It is about education in football. Not just teaching youngsters how to kick a ball properly but education on diet and fitness," Beckham added.

The academy will welcome boys and girls aged eight to 15 of all abilities. It will take in 15,000 children a year, 10,000 of them free.

The academy will be run by director of coaching Eric Harrison, formerly a youth team coach at Manchester United for 18 years who played a part in developing an outstanding group of players including Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville.

Forming part of the regeneration of the Millennium Dome site, the Beckham academy is one of Britain's largest grassroots sporting initiatives. There is a sister academy in Los Angeles.

星期一，沿着Millennium Dome（地名），大卫贝克汉姆开了他的伦敦足球学校，此处离英格兰队长出生的地方只有一小段的距离．

３０岁的皇家马德里中场在参加技巧展示之前，和学校的孩子们一起观看了一段视频表达．

＂对于我来说，这是一个特别的日子，并且是我一生中最值得骄傲的时刻之一，＂贝克汉姆说．

＂多年以来，我一直有这样的一个雄心，通过足球训练，给这些孩子们和我一样的机会．＂

＂我要一个可以学习但更重要的是开心的环境．这个已经超越了我的最高期盼．＂

＂在我还小的时候，怀着成为一名专业足球运动员的梦想，我参加了bobby查尔顿足球学校．＂

学校有２个完整尺寸的球场以及教室，训练设施，更衣室和餐馆．

＂这是关于足球的教育．不仅仅教孩子们如何适当地踢球，而且教育饮食和身体健康．＂贝克汉姆补充到．

学校将欢迎有各种才能的８到１５岁的男孩和女孩，每年招收１５０００人，其中１００００人是免费的．

学校将由训练主任埃里克哈里森管理，他以前在曼彻斯特联队少年组做了１８年的教练，在挖掘一批杰出球员中起到了作用，这些杰出球员包括贝克汉姆，保罗斯科尔斯，雷恩吉格斯，和加里，菲尔内维尔兄弟．

作为Millennium Dome重建的组成部分，贝克汉姆的学校是英国最大的草根运动机构之一，有一个姐妹学校在洛杉叽．