David Beckham back at Man Utd for Unicef charity match

Former Manchester United and England football star David Beckham will captain a Great Britain and Ireland star line-up to play against a Rest of the World team led by Zinedine Zidane in a match at Old Trafford on 14 November, to raise awareness and funds for Unicef, the world's children's organisation.

The teams will be managed by two of the most respected and successful managers ever in the game, Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti, with Beckham especially delighted that he will be playing under his former manager at Old Trafford for one more time.

"For me to have Sir Alex Ferguson be the manager of the team in this game is something that is very special," Beckham said at the official launch of the match at Old Trafford on 6 October.

"One of the most decorated managers in the history of the game and the man that gave me the opportunity to play for a club that I had supported for so many years and, obviously, being a Manchester United legend it would not have been right without him and thankfully with his busy schedule – not as busy as it used to be but still a busy schedule – he was able to say yes to it so I'm very excited."

Beckham joined Manchester United as a youth player and under Ferguson's leadership, went on to help the team win six league titles and the 1999 Champions League before leaving in 2003 for Real Madrid. There was a belief that the relationship between the two had soured towards the end of Beckham's time at the club, but the 40-year-old denied that this was so.

Beckham said: "My relationship with the manager was always great, despite what people say, and despite the couple of ups and downs that we had – which I wasn't the only one but I think that, at the end of the day, these things happen, it is the passion of players, it's the passion of managers.

"I obviously have always had huge respect for the manager from a very young age up until now, I always have and will always have the respect for Sir Alex Ferguson that I should have."

One of Beckham's teammates and so-called Class of '92 member Ryan Giggs, is still with Manchester United as assistant to manager Louis van Gaal. Giggs was briefly in charge of the club following the dismissal of David Moyes and before van Gaal's appointment, and Beckham believes that it is only a matter of time before Giggs has the job full time.

"I have always said that Giggsy has this streak running through him that you see in top managers. I saw it as a player, he is so determined and when you have someone like that at a club like this and someone that is from this part of the world and knows so much about this club and it is so embedded into him. Having someone like that is something that means so much to fans so I hope Giggsy does take over at some point. It may not be for the next five or 10 years but at some point it would be amazing for the fans to have him," said Beckham.