Danish referee, Kim Milton Nielsen has thrown his support behind the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup and would be refereeing matches in the life-changing international football tournament.

The competition which will run from December 1-7 at Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia would see 56 national teams; including Sierra Leone competing in this year tourney.

Referee Nielsen is best known as the man who gave England's David Beckham a red card in the 1998 FIFA World Cup against Argentina.

He could also be remembered after sending off Wayne Rooney for sarcastically applauding during Man. United 0-0 draw against Villarreal in the 2005 Champions League.

After refereeing at last year's Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen, Nielsen experienced first-hand the power of football to change lives.

He said, "The Homeless World Cup is an excellent initiative to inspire an excluded group. Football has the ability to gather people and to be used as a catalyst for changing lives."

"I hope everybody has a great tournament and meets a lot of good friends," Milton Nielsen said. "It is not only on the pitch that you win. To participate also makes you a winner."

Nielsen referee career includes 154 internationals, 53 UEFA Champions League games and FIFA World Cup matches.

Milton Nielsen will be part of a team of over 35 international and local referees that would be officiating at 2008 Homeless World Cup.

Others include: Gerhard Holzmann and Reinhart Raminger of Austria, Iain McGill from Scotland, Niall Waters-Fuller from England, Nkosinathi "Shoes" Manhono from South Africa and Ssekabira Ntege Abudu of Uganda.