Liam Payne's son inspired him to make soccer gesture as One Direction star dead at 31

Liam Payne captained Team England in the 2022 Soccer Aid match against the World XI.

The former One Direction star, who died aged 31 on Wednesday, explained how being father encouraged him to play. Payne and his ex-partner Sheryl Cole welcomed their child Bear Grey into the world on March 22, 2017.

"That’s what we want for every child here with what we do for Soccer Aid for Unicef: he gets the right to play, every child deserves that. I think it’s what you want to do for your whole life is still feel like a child as you go on.," Payne said ahead of the match.

“It’s just such a great charity. It’s great to be back here. The money we’re raising is used to fight real-world problems [like] malnutrition.”

• Liam Payne, 31, found dead in Argentina after falling off the third floor of a hotel
• Olympic legend Usain Bolt stretchered off at charity soccer match

On the day, Payne lined up for Team England alongside soccer stars Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Teddy Sheringham, David James, Mark Noble, and Stewart Downing.

The World XI and captain Usain Bolt would win 4-1 on penalties at the London Stadium after the match finished 1-1 in regulation. Cole scored for Team England while AC Milan legend Cafu found the net for the World XI.

Soccer Aid started in 2006 and has since raised over £75 million ($97 million) in the years since. "It’s an incredible achievement that will help UNICEF ensure children around the world get the best start in life," said UNICEF UK Ambassador Robbie Williams.

“I've had to learn for three months,” Payne said ahead of the match. “Jumping into football is like a role for me that I get to play for a certain amount of months. I put my --- into everything that I do... I was training twice a day, six times a week. It's crazy - to learn how to play football."

Payne also admitted his former One Direction bandmates Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson are much better than him at soccer -- both featured for the World XI at Soccer Aid 2016.

Payne, 31, was reported dead on Wednesday in Buenos Aires after local reports indicated he fell out of the window from the third story of his hotel room. The former One Direction posted on Snapchat just 45 minutes before the incident. He was visiting Argentina to see former bandmate Zayn Malik in concert.

Payne joined One Direction after auditioning for "X Factor" as a solo act in 2010. Guest judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested that Payne join forces with four other competitors - Horan, Tomlinson, Malik, and Harry Styles - to form a boy band and move into the "groups" category.