Real Madrid might be making their first appearance as an MLS All-Star opponent on US soil (more on that in a bit), but the Merengues have had plenty of experience against league sides ahead of Wednesday night's meeting at Chicago's Soldier Field in the AT&T 2017 MLS All-Star Game, presented by Target (8:30 pm ET; FS1, Univision in US | TSN, TVA Sports in Canada).
They've had the run of results, too, as the history below shows.
July 18, 2005: Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2 Real Madrid, The Home Depot Center (now StubHub Center), Carson, California
The Spanish giants made their first modern venture into the burgeoning North American market with a Southern California trip in 2005, a sellout crowd flocking to Carson to watch the “White Storm” face the hometown Galaxy, who would go on to win MLS Cup that year. Most striking was the balletic grace of current Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane, who left the LA defense spellbound as he set up Michael Owen for the opening goal before Roberto Soldado’s late tally sealed the victory.
Aug. 23, 2005: Real Madrid 5-0 MLS Select XI, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Invited to be Real Madrid’s guests in Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu, the Spaniards' annual preseason friendly cup, a hastily-assembled group of MLS stars took a few days off from their season’s late-summer stretch run to fly across the Atlantic and face the likes of Ronaldo, Raul and Zidane at the majestic Bernabeu.
As the Guardian documented in detail two years ago, this was Mission: Impossible for Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Youri Djorkaeff and the rest of the squad, which also included future MLS head coaches Jason Kreis and Pablo Mastroeni. With just one training session together and hardly enough time in Madrid to shake off the jet lag, the MLSers were torn apart by their star-studded opponents – yet most cherished the experience just the same.
“I'm a little bitter because we gave up five,” saidJimmy Conrad, “but when I'm done playing I’ll look back on this fondly. It's something I'll always remember.”
Aug. 9, 2006: D.C. United 1-1 Real Madrid, CenturyLink Field, Seattle
In 2006 Real Madrid toured the United States in a visit that would prove fateful on more than one level.
First Los Merengues met D.C. United in Seattle, back when that booming soccer hotbed was just a twinkle in MLS’s eye. In fact, the spirited sellout crowd of 66,830 that packed into what was then known as Qwest Field helped turn the league’s attention towards what had previously been seen as only a modestly successful USL market.
Madrid’s mighty Galacticos took an early lead when Raul’s classy through ball set up Antonio Cassano for a gorgeous cut inside and finish. But United – who would go on to win the Supporters’ Shield that season – responded immediately when Freddy Adu fed Alecko Eskandarian for a rapid-fire equalizer, as the Black-and-Red gave the Spanish giants a workout and then some.
Aug. 12, 2006: Real Salt Lake 0–2 Real Madrid, Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
Three days later, Madrid visited their namesakes in Salt Lake. First David Beckham – who would stun the world by signing a pre-contract with the LA Galaxy five months later – helped the 2005 MLS expansion side ceremonially break ground on what would become Rio Tinto Stadium.
Later that day 45,511 awestruck fans at RSL’s first home, Rice-Eccles Stadium, watched as Beckham and his RMFC teammates defeated their hosts 2-0 via goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robinho. Longtime MLS watchers might be amused to note that RSL finished that one with 10 men as Atiba Harris was red-carded, adding a feisty edge to the exhibition match.
August 7, 2009: Toronto FC 1–5 Real Madrid, BMO Field, Toronto
Today Toronto FC are MLS heavyweights, ambitious contenders who’ve already won a trophy this year (the Canadian Championship) and have designs on more. But back in ‘09? Not so much.
The Reds were a third-year club struggling – at times quite badly – to find their way when Madrid came calling. The contrast between the two sides was stark. Los Blancos would give Kaká – who they’d just bought from AC Milan for a then-world-record transfer fee approaching $100 million – his RMFC debut at BMO, while classy tempo-setter Xabi Alonso would also make his first Madrid appearance off the bench. On the other side stood markedly less famous names like Ali Gerba and Sam Cronin.
Raul (twice), Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Arjen Robben scored for the imperious visitors, while young Canadian Gabe Gala poked home a consolation goal for TFC.
August 9, 2009: D.C. United 0–3 Real Madrid, FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
The two capital clubs met up for a rematch of their Seattle meeting three years prior, albeit much closer to D.C. this time.
Scheduled for midday to cater to the television audiences back home in Spain, this one played out under a sweltering summer sun with temperatures approaching triple digits. It didn’t seem to faze Madrid too much, though United did well to keep the scoreline respectable.
A svelte young Gonzalo Higuain struck twice for the Merengues, and Arjen Robben rounded out the scoring with a cheeky chip in front of an appreciative, if sweaty, crowd of over 72,000.
August 7, 2010: LA Galaxy 2–3 Real Madrid, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Nearly 90,000 spectators flocked to watch the hometown LA Galaxy welcome the White Storm, and they nearly got to witness a shock result.
Todd Dunivant and Landon Donovan scored in the first half to send LA into the locker rooms with a 2-0 lead at the break. But Jose Mourinho, Madrid’s manager at the time, showed no intention of allowing an upset to transpire, bringing waves of firepower off the bench to deliver a 3-2 comeback win thanks to another Gonzalo Higuain brace and a Xabi Alonso winner.
July 16, 2011: LA Galaxy 1 – 4 Real Madrid, Rose Bowl (WFC)
Los Blancos returned less than a year later, this time as part of the World Football Challenge, a much-hyped preseason tournament featuring heavyweight clubs from around the globe. Madrid would go undefeated, winning the WFC and going on to win La Liga that season, setting new league records for goals scored and points.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Callejon, Joselu and Karim Benzema scored for RMFC this time to scotch any hopes of a Galaxy triumph, though Adam Cristman – remember him? – bagged one for LA. Turnout for this match was lower than the previous year, thanks in part to “Carmageddon,” the traffic woes brought on by work on Interstate 405.
July 23, 2011: Philadelphia Union 1–2 Real Madrid, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia (WFC)
The Merengues moved from SoCal on to Philly, where they encountered stiffer resistance from the Union. Another big crowd looked on appreciatively as the hosts responded to early goals by Jose Callejon and Mesut Ozil with a spirited display highlighted by Michael Farfan’s delicate chip.
August 2, 2012: LA Galaxy 1–5 Real Madrid, StubHub Center (WFC)
This was another tough outing for the Galaxy, though they did break the attendance record at their StubHub Center home with a crowd of 30,317. MLS killer Gonzalo Higuain scored for Madrid, as did Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Alvaro Morata and Jesé, while David Junior Lopes bundled home a set-piece goal at close range to get LA on the board.
August 1, 2013: LA Galaxy 1-3 Real Madrid, University of Phoenix Stadium (ICC)
Madrid and the Galaxy took their show on the road in 2013, meeting at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for an International Champions Cup clash.
Angel Di Maria opened the scoring and Karim Benzema doubled RMFC's advantage shortly after halftime. Galaxy Homegrown Jose Villarreal, just 19 years of age at the time, struck paydirt to cut the gap before Benzema bagged his second towards the end.
