Football star and Unicef ambassador David Beckham has the following advice for young people – work hard, be dedicated, stay grounded and have a passion for what you do.

In an interview at the Discovery Leadership Summit in Johannesburg yesterday, the 41-year-old former England soccer captain said his greatest sporting achievement was leading his national team country and his biggest life achievement is his family – his wife Victoria and his four children – and his involvement with Unicef and its focus on improving the lives of children around the world.

Asked about what has made him successful in sport, business and other aspects of his life, the ex -Manchester United player (who also played for Real Madrid, L A Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain and A C Milan) placed the emphasis on teamwork.

“The team I have around me has made me successful,” he stressed. “My parents were hard workers. I got my work ethic from them. My dad was very strict – but he guided me and gave me support.”

Passion is at the heart of his soccer success and his later entrance into building brands and international philanthropy.

On managers that he has played under, Beckham said they all wanted to win, “some more than others.” Although he did not view himself as a natural leader, he captained England for six years and found that being captain gave him very different responsibilities to being a player.

So who does he think is the best footballer in the world right now? He did not want to choose between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo! He also rates former team-mate Wayne Rooney as a great player.