David Beckham lights first Olympic torch in United Kingdom (PHOTO)

International soccer star David Beckham lit the first London 2012 torch on Friday evening in Cornwall. The Olympic flame traveled in a specially designed plane from Greece and officially touched down at 7:26 p.m. GMT at a British air force base.

Beckham gingerly dipped the chainmeal-like torch into a cauldron and held it aloft with a broad smile. He will be the first of 8,000 torchbearers during the 70-day, 7,500-mile torch relay, which begins Saturday morning.