Zulu welcome for England team

Sporting his new African-style hairdo, David Beckham was greeted by a group of Zulu dancers on the tarmac at Durban International Airport today.

The Manchester United midfielder and the England team had African beads put around their necks as they were met by Durban’s mayor, Obed Mlaba and Danny Jordaan, head of the 2010 World Cup bid.

The team is in South Africa to play the national team in a friendly match on Thursday.

They are scheduled to meet former President, Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Dozens of supporters waiting outside the airport cheered as Beckham waved at them from the team’s coach as it pulled away.

The arrival of the England team in South Africa comes days after the South African national coach, Ephrahim Shakes Mashaba was dropped for the match after refusing to call up star South African players based overseas.

Nine foreign-based players were named for the squad after the South African Football Association intervened. Leeds United’s Lucas Radebe was named as South African captain.