July 14, 1996 -- that magic and electricity was back at Giants Stadium, which played host to not one, but two memorable matches: the very first MLS All-Star Game and the FIFA World All-Star Game.
A then sports-record crowd of 78,516 -- the highest since Pope John Paul II attracted 82,498 for a mass on Oct. 5, 1995 -- jammed the stadium to watch a delightful display and doubleheader of how the game should be played: end-to-end attacking soccer and not a professional foul, yellow card or red card in sight.
"Winning or losing wasn't important," said Thomas Rongen, then the Tampa Bay Mutiny coach. "The winners were MLS, the players and the fans, who saw a great game. They were part of history to see the league develop this way today. Big point was MLS -- 75,000 people. A highly entertaining game. That is what it's all about."
He got no argument from his colleagues.
"There was a great crowd and a great atmosphere," world all-star coach Richard Moeller-Nielsen said.
"The crowd ... is somewhat similar to the Serie A crowd in a sense of the excitement they both contain," current MetroStars president and general manager Alexi Lalas said nine years ago.
Lalas, who was representing the New England Revolution, played for Padova in Italy's Serie A.
"They're very knowledgeable fans," he added. "They want to see attacking soccer and today they saw. I thought the crowd was just great."
The stars who roamed the Giants Stadium pitch that day -- Carlos Valderrama, Marco Etcheverry, Jorge Campos and Tab Ramos among others-- had forged some pretty decent reputations.
And that was just for the MLS encounter.
The nightcap pitted a who's who of world stars -- the Brazilian Olympic team vs. the World Stars.
The world team had an incredible array of talent: defender Lothar Matthaeus, Germany's 1990 World Cup championship captain who would return to Giants Stadium to play for the MetroStars in 2000, defender Marcel Desailly, who would star for the 1998 French world championship side, German striker Juergen Klinsmann and the incomparable George Weah of Liberia.
D.C. United midfielder John Harkes, who will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame along with Ramos on Aug. 29, was the U.S. representative on that star-studded side.
Brazil wasn't too shabby either, boasting the likes of Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Bebeto and Dida.
For the record, the Eastern Conference bested the Western Conference 3-2 as Valderrama earned MVP honors. He set up two goals, including Tampa Bay Mutiny teammate Steve Pittman's game-winner in the 87th minute.
"I'm honored to be the MVP when you had so many players of quality playing with and against me," Valderrama said after the match. "It was great playing out there today with such great players and before a great crowd. We played good soccer out there, attacking soccer and one that excited the crowd."
Added Rongen: "He's the marquee player of the league."
Eastern All-Star defender Cle Kooiman agreed. "There's no one in the world like El Pibe," he said. "It's an honor to play with him. He shows something every game."
Valderrama, who forged a reputation throughout his career waiting for that special moment to strike, set up Ramos, the MetroStars midfielder and Eastern captain, to give the home fans something to cheer about in the 14th minute. Ramos converted a diagonal feed from Valderrama past Campos from 12 yards.
Preki, the Kansas City Wiz (yep, that was their nickname at the time) midfielder and the MLS scoring leader at the All-Star break, equalized for the West, putting home a 28-yard blast past MetroStars goalkeeper Tony Meola in the 33rd minute off a feed from Galaxy midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos.
Then-Dallas Burn midfielder Jason Kreis put the West ahead only four minutes later, working a perfect give-and-go with the Galaxy's Eduardo Hurtado. Kreis raced into the box unmarked and placed a 12-yard shot past Meola for a 2-1 halftime advantage.
The first half was highlighted by the runs of Campos, who also started for the World Stars. Twice the Mexican 'keeper ventured up field, the second time penetrating into the Eastern penalty area in the 30th minute. After a return pass from Preki, Campos's shot was blocked. He then had to race back before the East could counterattack.
Metros forward Giovanni Savarese scored in the 69th minute. D.C. United's Steve Rammel ran into the left corner and placed a low cross that goalkeeper Mark Dougherty barely knocked away into the path of Savarese, who scored one of his signature goals by tucking it into the net from six yards.
With time running out, Valerrama set up Pittman, who broke into the penalty area on the left side and fired a shot between two defenders from 10 yards past goalkeeper Mark Dodd.
The second match also lived up to its hype as the Brazilians prevailed 2-1 on a Roberto Carlos goal in the 79th minute. Bebeto, a 1994 World Cup hero, connected first for Brazil and Klinsmann, the current German national team coach, equalized in the 69th minute.
Bebeto lifted the Brazilians to a 1-0 lead three minutes into the second half. Savio sent the diminutive striker a long, low pass through the center of the field. Bebeto raced toward the top of the penalty area as Chilean goalkeeper Nelson Tapia came out to the top of the box. Tapia tried to knock the ball away, but it bounded right back to Bebeto, who headed it home from 15 yards.
Klinsmann showed no ill effects of a torn calf muscle he had sustained the previous month that kept him out of the European championship match. He volleyed home a shot from Argentinian midfielder Fernando Redondo past goalkeeper Dida in the 69th minute.
Roberto Carlos, however, broke the tie nine minutes later when he penetrated into the left side of the area and beat Tapia from a severe angle to the near post.
"I was very impressed with the stadium and the crowd -- almost 80,000 people," Klinsmann said. "We were not surprised by Brazil and the way they played. They are preparing for the Olympics and I think they will do very well."
Brazil coach Mario Zagallo, who would go on to direct the samba side at the 1998 World Cup in France, was hopeful as well.
"This was obviously a good win for us," he said. "Beating a team of this caliber will give us confidence in that first (Olympic) match against Japan."
As it turned out, Brazil had to settle for a bronze medal at the Olympics, losing to an inspired Nigeria side in the semifinals, but bouncing back to roll over Portugal in the third-place match.
Proceeds from the doubleheader -- in excess of $1 million -- were donated to the SOS Children's Villages.
"If we can help them to bring a better life, that's all we can do," Klinsmann said. "That's our little contribution."
As it turned out, Klinsmann, Valderrama and friends made a contribution to MLS history as well.
Michael Lewis writes about soccer for the New York Daily News and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has covered MLS since its inception. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
