NEW YORK - Major League Soccer today announced the 19-man roster that will travel to Spain to face nine-time European champions Real Madrid on Tuesday, August 23 in the 27th annual Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu. The star-studded MLS Select Team, led by New England Revolution Head Coach Steve Nicol, features representatives from every MLS club including Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Ronnie O'Brien (FC Dallas), Youri Djorkaeff (MetroStars) and the League's leading scorer Jeff Cunningham (Colorado Rapids). The 19-man roster will be comprised of 13 American players and six international stars (Djorkaeff, O'Brien, Amado Guevara, Shalrie Joseph, Jaime Moreno and Douglas Sequeira).
The international match at the legendary Santiago Bernabeu will be broadcast live in the United States on Tuesday starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español.
The players will depart to Spain following the League regular season matches scheduled between Friday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug. 21. The New England Revolution will contribute a league-high three players while five other clubs will be represented by two players. The MLS delegation traveling to Spain will include Commissioner Don Garber and Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis.
The event on August 23 will mark the first time that an American squad will play for the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu in the history of the competition, which traditionally represents Real Madrid's first game of the new season in front of its home fans and the final game before the start of the Spanish La Liga season. Real Madrid kicks off its domestic season on August 28 on the road against Cádiz.
First held in 1979 in honor of Real Madrid's legendary former president for whom the team's stadium is also named, the prestigious Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu has featured legendary teams throughout the event's history including Liverpool (England), A.C. Milan (Italy), Inter Milan (Italy), River Plate (Argentina), Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), Santos (Brazil) and Benfica (Portugal).
MLS SELECT TEAM (By Position):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Matt Reis (New England Revolution), Nick Rimando (D.C. United)
DEFENDERS (6): Jose Burciaga, Jr. (Kansas City Wizards), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Douglas Sequeira (Chivas USA)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Ricardo Clark (San Jose Earthquakes), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Youri Djorkaeff (MetroStars), Amado Guevara (MetroStars), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Ronnie O'Brien (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (4): Jeff Cunningham (Colorado Rapids), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Jason Kreis (Real Salt Lake), Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
MLS SELECT TEAM (By Club):
CHICAGO FIRE (1): Justin Mapp
CHIVAS USA (1): Douglas Sequeira
COLORADO RAPIDS (2): Jeff Cunningham, Pablo Mastroeni
COLUMBUS CREW (2): Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall
D.C. UNITED (2): Jaime Moreno, Nick Rimando
FC DALLAS (1): Ronnie O'Brien
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS (2): Jose Burciaga Jr., Jimmy Conrad
LOS ANGELES GALAXY (1): Landon Donovan
METROSTARS (2): Youri Djorkaeff, Amado Guevara
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (3): Clint Dempsey, Shalrie Joseph, Matt Reis
REAL SALT LAKE (1): Jason Kreis
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (1): Ricardo Clark
Head Coach: Steve Nicol (New England Revolution)
Assistant Coach: Mo Johnston (MetroStars)
Team Doctor: Kai Mithoseser (U.S. Soccer Federation)
Athletic Trainer: Alfonso Flores (Chivas USA)
Equipment Manager: Clarence "Rusty" Wummel (New England Revolution)
