A top footballer spoke of the importance of giving back to the community during a visit to a Wimbledon primary school.

Brede Hangeland, the 31-year-old captain of Premier League club Fulham, visited St Mary’s Catholic School in Wimbledon Village earlier this week.

Year 5 and 6 pupils were given a set of kits for their boys and girls football team by the Premier League - all of which have Mr Hangeland’s name printed on the shirt sleeves.

The Norwegian, who is understood to earn £40,000 a week (£2m a year), said he chose the school because he lived in Wimbledon when he first came to England from Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2008.

He said: "It's really important to remember where you came from.

"Especially in football because there’s such a long way from where these kids are to the top of football.

"Whenever you have the possibility it’s important to give something back to the communities, the grassroots or young kids playing football.”

The Player Kit scheme, a joint initiative between the Premier League and the Professional Footballers Association, involves the players of all 20 Barclays Premier League clubs donating £25,000 to the Scheme to create a £500,000 fund.

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