Kobe Bryant has a second love

And his second love is...soccer? It’s true! The five-time NBA champ revealed his love for the sport in an interview with CNN. With World Cup fever in the air and some time off his usual court, Kobe Bryant recently visited a new football center in – where else? – South Africa.

The new football (er, soccer) facility in Soweto provides personal development, life skills programs, and access to health education to 20,000 children each year, in a region with the world’s largest HIV/AIDS positive population. Eager to spread the word about how sport can help do some good, Bryant told CNN, “Even though I’m a basketball player, the messages remain the same because I was a kid just like they were – it’s all about accomplishing the dream. I think it’s only right and it’s important that once you’ve reached a certain level you give back and you help the next generation of players and kids accomplish their goals too.”

Fun fact: this Los Angeles Laker also speaks fluent Italian and Spanish- he was introduced to soccer while living in Italy as a child! What can you do to help bridge the gap in health education around the world? Check out our action guide to get going.