A HUGE cheer erupted as the captain of South Africa strode into a room to meet starstruck St John's Primary pupils yesterday.

The youngsters met soccer star Aaron Mokoena after they joined his mission to give a whole generation of kids the chance to leave a lifetime of poverty behind.

Together with Fifa, the Portsmouth player has set up the 1 Goal Foundation, which helps thousands of South African children attend school.

Youngsters at St John's are backing the campaign, by twinning with a Johannesburg school Aaron once attended.

They handed him letters individually written to pupils to lend their support to both the school and the foundation.

After meeting the youngsters to say thank you for their support, Aaron spoke to the Tele - and said he can't wait to captain his country in the World Cup.

Aaron, who even donned a Morton strip donated by Smiths of Greenock - complete with his name on the back - said: "It is wonderful to be here. I wanted to come here personally to say thank you and I have been made so welcome. There is now a great link between South Africa and Scotland.

"I am really looking forward to the World Cup. It is definitely the highlight of my football career." The youngsters from St John's bombarded Aaron with questions about his life and football during a question-and-answer session.

One pupil asked him who his childhood heroes were?

Aaron said: "My mother and the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. My dad died when I was very young and my mum was important. I had the opportunity to do many sports but chose football.

"I hope to be a lawyer once my football career has finished." Football fan and St John's head teacher Mark Coyle said it was privilege to have a World Cup captain visit his school.

Mr Coyle said: "We are thrilled to have someone who is so prominent in the world of sport at our school. Our primary sevens were doing a project on South Africa and it was excellent to link up with the Foundation and Aaron.

"He embodies everything about South Africa, the struggles to the success.

"He is trying to make life better for people in his home country." Bafana Bafana captain Aaron then joined the youngsters for a kickabout before moving on to Rainbow Nursery and then Greenock Town Hall for a civic reception, where he sported a kilt fitted for the day by Kilts 4 Less, of Greenock.

Primary six pupils Lauren Brown and Stefan Butler told the Tele they will remember meeting the South African captain forever.

Lauren said: "It was a great experience and I will be watching the World Cup with my dad." Classmate Stefan added: "He is a great ambassador and a great player."