CNN -- Basketball star Kobe Bryant has revealed his love of soccer while doing charity work in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup . The five-time NBA champion told CNN that he was introduced to the sport while living in Italy as a child . Bryant , who helped the Los Angeles Lakers retain their NBA crown this month , moved to Europe when he was six after his father Joe `` Jelly Bean '' Bryant decided to play professional basketball in Italy . The Philadelphia-born Bryant , who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish , grew up supporting Serie A giants AC Milan , with his favorite player being former Dutch striker Marco van Basten . `` AC Milan was always my favorite team growing up , '' he said . `` It actually started in Italy when I used to go to the basketball courts to play by myself and you used to have the little goalposts underneath the basket . `` I 'd show up wanting to play basketball and there would be 12 kids waiting to have a match . `` They just put me in goal because I had these long arms and long legs , and I just had to stop everything that came my way . `` Then as months went on , they finally let me out on the field a little bit . '' With the World Cup well under way in South Africa , Bryant took time out to visit a new football center in Soweto during his first visit to the continent . The center provides a football life skills program to 20,000 children in South Africa each year , offering them the chance to develop their talent . South Africa has the world 's largest HIV-positive population and so , more importantly , the program will also give the children access to a HIV/AIDS education which involves counseling and testing . Speaking to CNN 's Pedro Pinto , the NBA star said that sportsmen have an important role off the field in helping to inspire future champions around the world . `` It 's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to come and see the World Cup and to come and see South Africa , '' he said . `` 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 . '' Bryant continues to prosper on the basketball court after his Lakers team won a 17th title this year , defeating the Boston Celtics 4-3 in the finals . When asked to compare the Lakers ' most recent title with his previous four , Bryant said this year 's triumph was his favorite . `` It 's the top , because it was so hard to get , '' he said . `` We really had to work extremely hard . The championship is about how guys come together as a group to accomplish a goal . ''
Basketball star Kobe Bryant grew up in Italy supporting Serie A giants AC Milan . Five-time NBA winner visited football center in Soweto hoping to inspire future sports stars . American says the Lakers ' recent series win against the Celtics is their best yet .