They participated in a coaching clinic and handed out mini-footballs and shirts, alongside Britain's Foreign Secretary the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, in South Africa for a short stay to meet with President Mbeki.

The two FA Ambassadors participated in five short games, with teams of all age groups and held a question and answer session with coaches from three schools in the Soweto area. As a prelude to the historic England v Bafana Bafana game, due to take place next week in Durban's ABSA Kings Park Stadium, The FA's goodwill ambassadors also visited two township sports projects in Durban on Monday 12th May.

At King Zwethilini stadium in Umlazi, Durban’s biggest township, Clive Barker, ex manager of Bafana Bafana and several other coaches who assist with community sports projects around the Kwa-Zulu Natal region, joined in a 2 hour coaching clinic.

More kit and equipment was donated to the project, supported not only by The FA, but also by Leeds United FC and the British Council the local Sports & Recreation council. BBC Radio Five Live were also present to hand out shirts collected from their 'Football Shirt Amnesty' campaign. The FA delegation spent the afternoon at the Sport for All project at Cato Manor township in Durban.

This sports, culture and arts campaign, supported by the British Council and other stakeholders, aims to train large numbers of sports coaches to assist under-privileged children of all ages in townships around the region to maximise potential and develop their skills in a range of sports and cultural activities.

Girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 14 were joined by Gary Mabbutt and Viv Anderson for their afternoon coaching session, and despite the downpour, were in high spirits when handed their England mini-footballs and gifts.

There were shouts of joy when the ambassadors announced that David Beckham and Michael Owen would be travelling to Durban the following week, the squad having just been announced in London by England coach Sven Goran Eriksson.

"I have been coming to South Africa every year for the past ten years and have been involved in many different football development initiatives. It is great is to see how many more worthy community sports development projects have started up around the country," said Gary Mabbutt MBE.

"It is obvious that over the past couple of years the standards have vastly improved, which demonstrates the country is tuning into the idea of using sport to develop the youngsters' self-esteem and confidence.

"It has been a fantastic opportunity for me to get involved with these projects in the townships, having played here in South Africa 15 years ago and participated in the charity game two years ago. The children's potential is there and they are hungry for success.

With the help of The FA, SAFA, other stakeholders and with England's senior squad coming to play here next week, I feel that these kids, who have a great deal of natural talent, could go a long way," said Viv Anderson MBE. The FA's international relations officer Kim Fer and Gary Mabbutt will travel to Botswana to visit some other community projects and to participate in The FA's workshop for the Botswana FA administrators on the subjects of football development and human resources, under the UEFA-CAF Meridian Project partnership.

"Our FA Ambassadors goodwill trips have proved to be a very rewarding and inspiring experience for all conced. Under privileged children have the opportunity to meet some star players from the past and to participate in coaching sessions and games, whilst also receiving gifts and kit.

The goodwill generated is well worth the effort and we have seen the joy that a few people can bring to the youth population in countries such as Albania, Afghanistan, South Africa, China and Iran.

Football is a unifying education tool and by taking interest in youth development and raising the profile of their plight, we hope that more organisations will see the light and support these community football projects' said Kim Fisher from The FA's International Relations Team.