David Beckham shows off his ageing self with greying hair and wrinkles

David Beckham, 47, is revealed as an old man with grey hair and wrinkles as former footballer marks World Malaria Day with a roundup of his charity work

David Beckham was shown as an old man in a video for malaria which highlights how the deathly disease can rob people the chance to grow old. 

The former footballer, 47, sported grey hair, a light beard and wrinkles for the video which ran alongside the words, ‘malaria, we won’t let you take our future.’

The sportsman was then transformed into how he looks today.

The athlete spoke to scientists as he told viewers that, ‘people have to sit up and take notice’ of the disease. 

He said: ‘There is a way of curing this disease. World leaders have the power and responsibility to make change. Malaria you’ve met your match.’ 

‘You cannot take our future’: David Beckham, 47, was revealed as an old man with grey hair and wrinkles as he fronted a new malaria campaign on Instagram on Tuesday 

He swapped into a black crew neck jumper which he teamed with a pair of black trousers while holding a clip board in another video. 

The ex England footballer was all smiles as he showed off his ball skills in the studio, telling viewers ‘we can’t give up’. 

David then stood against a white background while being surrounded by hundreds of ‘mosquitoes’.

According to the NHS: ‘Malaria is caused by being bitten by an infected mosquito. It can take just one bite to get it’. 

The disease kills over 600,000 each year, most of them children in Africa. 

David showcased his tattooed arms in a grey short sleeved T-shirt and slicked his long brunette locks back out of his face. 

He penned: ‘Malaria, you’ve met your match. I’m proud to be a part of the @zeromalaria movement to end this disease in a generation. 

‘This is a fight we can win – we must invest in the science, innovation and tools to reach zero malaria in our lifetimes and save millions of lives.. #WorldMalariaDay #ZeroMalaria @malarianomoreuk’. 

Looking ahead: David was aged in the video to highlight how deadly malaria can rob people the chance to grow old

Smart: It soon transitioned to the sportsman looking serious while donning his usual dapper look in a smart suit and tie as he discussed the deadly disease

Looking ahead: David was aged in the video to highlight how deadly malaria can rob people the chance to grow old

Amazing: The athlete later spoke with scientists as he told viewers that, 'people have to sit up and take notice' of the disease

Amazing: The athlete later spoke with scientists as he told viewers that, ‘people have to sit up and take notice’ of the disease

Working with scientists: He was seen getting to business as he held a clipboard in another video

Working with scientists: He was seen getting to business as he held a clipboard in another video

Malaria is found in tropical regions such as large areas of Africa and Asia, Central and South America, Dominican Republic and Haiti, parts of the Middle East, and some Pacific islands. 

It is caused after an individual is bitten by an infected mosquito and cannot be passed on from person to person. 

There are several symptoms for the disease and they would usually appear between 7 and 18 days after a person has been bitten. Malaria can be treated with antimalarial medicines.

Earlier this month, a game-changing malaria vaccine was approved in Ghana but no other country has yet to join in rolling out the jab. 

Leading experts claim the decision is a ‘significant milestone’ in the decades-long race to beat the deadly illness.

Bold: The ex England footballer was all smiles as he started to do keepie uppies with a ball in the studio, telling viewers 'we shouldn't rest'

Bold: The ex England footballer was all smiles as he started to do keepie uppies with a ball in the studio, telling viewers ‘we shouldn’t rest’

Powerful: Later on, David was surrounded by hundreds of 'mosquitoes', which cause the disease that kills over 600,000 each year

Powerful: Later on, David was surrounded by hundreds of ‘mosquitoes’, which cause the disease that kills over 600,000 each year

Currently, other African nations are understood to be assessing the data closely because they ‘don’t want to be last in the queue’.

Efforts to find a vaccine have been painfully slow, with the parasite’s complicated structure and lifecycle having stumped scientists.

The new vaccine was created by researchers at the same Oxford University centre where AstraZeneca’s Covid jab was developed.

Ghana has approved it for kids aged 5-36 months, who are most vulnerable to the illness.

The highly deadly disease spread by mosquitoes 

Malaria is a life-threatening tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. 

It is one of the world’s biggest killers, claiming the life of a child every two minutes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Most of these deaths occur in Africa, where 250,000 youngsters die from the disease every year. 

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, of which five cause malaria.

The Plasmodium parasite is mainly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes.

When an infected mosquito bites a person, the parasite enters their bloodstream. 

Symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Feeling hot and shivery
  • Headaches
  • Vomiting 
  • Muscle pain
  • Diarrhoea

These usually appear between a week and 18 days of infection, but can taken up to a year or occasionally even more.

People should seek medical attention immediately if they develop symptoms during or after visiting a malaria-affected area.

Malaria is found in more than 100 countries, including:

  • Large areas of Africa and Asia
  • Central and South America
  • Haiti and the Dominican Republic
  • Parts of the Middle East
  • Some Pacific Islands 

A blood test confirms a diagnosis. 

In very rare cases, malaria can be spread via blood transfusions. 

For the most part, malaria can be avoided by using insect repellent, wearing clothes that cover your limbs and using an insecticide-treated mosquito net. 

Malaria prevention tablets are also often recommended. 

Treatment, which involves anti-malaria medication, usually leads to a full recovery if done early enough.

Untreated, the infection can result in severe anaemia. This occurs when the parasites enter red blood cells, which then rupture and reduce the number of the cells overall.

And cerebral malaria can occur when the small blood vessels in the brain become blocked, leading to seizures, brain damage and even coma. 

Source: NHS Choices 

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk