David Beckham, Carli Lloyd join young soccer players at Nassau event

Soccer icons David Beckham and Carli Lloyd turned up at a youth empowerment event in Nassau on Saturday — giving hundreds of young fans inspiration to keep playing the game.

Thunderous cheers and applause broke out when the soccer legends strolled into the Mitchel Athletic Complex. The frenetic energy was palpable.

Young soccer aficionados from Nassau clubs raced toward Beckham, who casually slapped their hands and greeted them before taking the mic.

There were 200 little awestruck faces sitting on the floor, ready and anxious to learn.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder said he started playing around their age and longed to become a "professional footballer." 

“My dream was to play for Manchester United. My dream was to play for England. I was lucky … But the only way that I played for those teams and at that level was because I worked so hard when I was your age,” Beckham told the group.

Beckham also gave them some good-old fashioned advice.

“You have to always listen to your parents. You have to always listen to your coaches,” he said.

Lloyd, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion, acknowledged the “hotbed” of soccer talent on Long Island. She admitted her career was a tough journey but said the struggles “pushed me on to greater and greater heights.”

She also said she gained invaluable lessons on the field that weren’t taught in school.

“How to work hard, how to work within a team, how to be coachable, how to show respect, how to get back up after failing,” Lloyd said.

Kids later swarmed the stars for autographs and many told Newsday that meeting them was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In between they practiced drills and snapped plenty of photos. Two hundred more kids would turn up for a later session.

“It was fun,” said Costa Valerakis, a 10-year-old player with the Garden City Centennials.

His dad, Chris Valerakis, 39, of Garden City, added: “It's a wonderful thing for the community and for the kids to meet two very prestigious players that played at their age … Maybe one of these kids will get to do what they did.“

Nine-year-old Madelynn Brown, who plays with the Carle Place Pink Panthers, was excited to score autographs from both.

“If I [am] a sport player when I'm old, I would like to be a famous soccer player,” she said.

James Donaghy, 9, who plays for the Garden City Saints, said going pro is “one of my big huge dreams.”

His mom, Deborah Dubensky, of Garden City, said it was also a treat for her.

“It was very exciting,” Dubensky said. 

The event was hosted by Las Vegas Sands, which is seeking to develop a $4 billion entertainment venue at the Nassau Hub that includes a spa, hotel and casino. The company must still secure a lease and acquire a gaming license before moving forward, said Sands vice president Ron Reese.