Soccer fever
Galaxy hopes to set another attendance record at Saturday’s Rose Bowl match
By Carl Kozlowski 08/05/2010
Last August, the Rose Bowl threw open its gates to a massive crowd of rabid soccer fans — 93,137 of them — for the best-attended soccer match in the United States in 15 years. On Saturday night, stadium officials are hoping to top that when the LA Galaxy plays a “friendly,” or exhibition match, against the Real Madrid soccer club.
The biggest thrill at last year’s Galaxy “friendly” match against the FC Barcelona club came when Galaxy superstar David Beckham scored a key goal by kicking the ball in his trademark “bending” style. While the home team still lost 2-1, fans were buzzing for days.
This time around, Beckham will be on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon injury, but the Barcelona team will be bringing plenty of star power. Led by two-time UEFA Champions League-winning head coach Jose Mourinho, Madrid’s roster includes 2007 International Association of Federation Football (FIFA) Player of the Year Kaka, 2008 FIFA Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, Dutch midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, and Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, among many others.
With those heavy hitters on the field, Real Madrid has become one of the most powerful forces in soccer. The team is a nine-time European champion, and 31-time champion of Spain’s La Liga. Ten members of Real’s current squad participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, including six players who helped their national team reach the semifinals, while another three have played in a previous World Cup.
The Galaxy, meanwhile, is returning to the Rose Bowl for the second time in as many years. Supporting the game could prove to be a huge boost to Pasadena’s local economy as well. If the huge popularity of last year’s game is repeated, that attendance will improve the Rose Bowl’s odds of hosting the World Cup if the U.S. is chosen as the host country in the coming rounds.
The LA Galaxy plays FC Barcelona in an exhibition match at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena. Tickets are $30 to $1,000. Call (877) 342-5299, or visit lagalaxy.com.
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