SECAUCUS, N.J. - Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) in conjunction with Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced today that A.C. Milan and Chelsea FC have released their rosters for the World Series of Football. The two clubs will meet at Giants Stadium on Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 3:00 p.m. Each roster is headlined by a number of international soccer stars, including Cafú (A.C. Milan), Joe Cole (Chelsea FC), Rui Costa (A.C. Milan), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea FC), Damien Duff (Chelsea FC), Geremi (Chelsea FC), Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC), Paolo Maldini (A.C. Milan), Andriy Shevchenko (A.C. Milan) and Christian Vieri (A.C. Milan).
Most notable among this star-studded list of A.C. Milan players is Maldini and Shevchenko. Maldini, who is regarded as one of the best defenders in international football, is the most capped player in Italian National Team history with 126 appearances (64 as captain). On the attacking side of the ball Shevchenko is the current holder of the Golden Ball as the 2004 European Player of the Year.
Chelsea's lineup is headlined by Crespo and Lampard. Crespo, who recently returned to Chelsea after spending last season on loan with A.C. Milan, is known as one of the most potent scorers in international soccer. The Argentinean product has played professionally in Argentina, Italy and England. Lampard is one of the most decorated midfielders in English football. He finished second in the Premier Football Association's voting for Player of the Year Award in both of the past two English Premier League seasons.
A.C. Milan and Chelsea will travel to the United States next week to play a four-match series which includes matches against MLS Cup Champion D.C. United and the three-time Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion Chicago Fire in the 2005 World Series of Football.
The kick-off match of the 2005 World Series of Football will feature the two world soccer powers head-to-head with A.C. Milan taking on Chelsea FC on Sunday, July 24, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA (kick-off time 7 p.m. ET).
Following their opening match with Chelsea FC, Milan will head to Chicago to face the 1998 MLS Cup champion Fire at Soldier Field on Wednesday, July 27 (kick-off time 8 p.m. CT). The following night, July 28, at 8 p.m. (ET), D.C. United will host Chelsea FC in Washington, D.C.'s FedEx Field in a battle of the current champions of England and the United States' top leagues (a match to be televised live on ESPN2).
The World Series of Football culminates on Sunday, July 31, when A.C. Milan and Chelsea FC square off once again, this time at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ (kick-off time 3 p.m. ET).
In anticipation of their celebration of their 100th year, Chelsea FC won the 2005 English Premiership with 95 points on the campaign, posting a record of 28 wins, eight ties and only one loss during the regular season. The 2005 crown was Chelsea's first League title in 50 years, having last claimed the honors in 1955. Chelsea is owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich and is led by manager Jose Mourinho, who managed FC Porto to the Champion's League title prior to joining the English club in June of 2004.
A six-time European Champion, A.C. Milan is owned by Fininvest, the holding company of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and managed by Carlo Ancelotti. In 106 years of existence, the storied franchise has won 17 Serie A titles, most recently winning the 2004 League title. The Italian superpower finished second in the 2005 Champion's League, falling to Liverpool in penalty kicks after tying 3-3 during regulation this past May.
A.C. Milan Roster by Position
Goalkeepers: Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos, Eros Favaretto, Valerio Fiori
Defenders: Cafú, Alessandro Costacurta, Kakha Kaladze, Paolo Maldini, Lino Marzoratti, Alessandro Nesta, Dario Simic, Jakob Stam.
Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini, Manuel Rui Costa, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Louis Vogel Johann, Sergio Claudio Dos Santos.
Forwards: Andriy Shevchenko, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Christian Vieri.
Chelsea FC Roster by Position
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech, Carlo Cudicini, Lenny Pidgelely.
Defenders: Wayne Bridge, Ricardo Carvalho, Asier del Horno, Paulo Ferreira, Willian Gallas, Robert Huth, Glen Johnsen, John Terry.
Midfielders: Joe Cole, Damien Duff, Geremi, Jiri Jarosik, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Arjen Robben, Tiago.
Forwards: Carlton Cole, Hernan Crespo, Didier Drogba, Eidur Gudjohnsen.
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, The Manchester Evening News Arena and NOKIA Live at Grand Prairie; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), five Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe and management of shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) owned by Philip Anschutz; AEG Marketing, a sponsorship, sales, naming rights and consulting company; AEG Merchandising, a multi-faceted merchandising company; and AEG Creative, a full-service marketing and advertising agency.
