Message in a football | Auckland Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Auckland

It's a tough goal to set yourself. But an Aucklander is using sport to change peoples' lives as he dribbles his way by foot, bus and train to the Soccer World Cup. John Landrigan shoots the breeze with him.

Playing footy with Masai warriors and Tanzanian villagers and meeting presidents and voodoo priests on a 25,000km pilgrimage to the football World Cup is no walk in the park.

But for one soccer-mad Aucklander, it is a journey of unity and faith.

Andrew Aris is part of a troupe carrying a football across Europe and Africa on foot, by bus or train to the world's largest sporting extravaganza.

The 32-year-old Kiwi spoke to The Aucklander from Windhoek, capital of Namibia. It is the 124th day and 29th country on his journey.

More than 15,000 people have kicked, headed and signed the ball, including famous footballers  such as Julio Cesar (Brazil and Inter Milan goalkeeper), the President of Mali, the Prime Minister of Togo, the Mayor of Nairobi, the Pope of Voodoo in Ouidah, Benin (a leading voodoo practitioner) and thousands of local kids. The ball, says Andrew, seems to hold an almost mystical value  for the people.

"Children and adults alike want to touch it and kick it ... . A slogan has developed as we have travelled: One Ball. One World. "The ball is for everyone. It doesn't matter if you are black or white, old or young, male of female, good at football or not.

"The ball is about peace, it is about unity. It's a positive message about Africa and Africa's World Cup.

The former Auckland Grammar student left Pakuranga to study at Notre Dame University in the United States at age 19.

He has lived in Amsterdam, South Korea, Scotland and is now based in Germany, where he lectures about football's role in community development. "I founded a non-government organisation called Spirit of Football and plan these mad World Cup adventures. "Football is my passion. I live for it and always have. I am helping other people through football. We are helping change people's lives in Erfurt and now around the globe with this football."

And the keen adventurer is spreading a positive message about the All Whites chances. But he's finding that to be more of a struggle.

"I'm telling them where I'm from and that I played football for the Under 20 national team. That New Zealand will win the World Cup. The response is laughter. New Zealand has no chance, they say."

The ball is scheduled to arrive in Johannesburg on June 6 to some planned fun and games with some of the biggest names in football, including Lucas Radebe, the former Leeds United and South Africa captain. Follow Andrew Aris' progress at http://facebook.com/theball.tv or www.theball.tv.

Ball shaped world

The ball has been described as the football equivalent of the Olympic Torch. Every four years,  it is kicked off from London's Battersea Park where the  first game of modern rules football took place in 1864.

The first trip was overland to the World Cup in Korea and Japan, when three Brits travelled 12,900km with a replica of the official adidas World Cup ball, across Central and Eastern Europe and into Asia. Their epic journey featured on television and in many
newspapers.

In 2006 they travelled from London to Munich. The Ball 2010 is travelling through Europe and Africa, including Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

This is Andrew's first trip. He says it won't be his last.