NEW YORK - Steve Nicol and the coaching staff of the New England Revolution, the team with the best record in Major League Soccer, have been selected to lead the MLS Select Team against nine-time European champions Real Madrid on August 23 in the 27th annual Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu. The MLS Select Team roster will be named early next week, following the full weekend slate of regular season matches.
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.
"It's a great honor to be representing MLS at such a special place as the Santiago Bernabeu," said Nicol, who faced Real Madrid in the 1989 edition of the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu while with Liverpool. "It's a good opportunity to play at such a great stadium against such a great team. We'll enjoy it even more if we perform together as a team."
Nicol, a former Scotland National Team member and World Cup veteran, has guided the Eastern Conference leading Revolution to the best record in Major League Soccer (11-4-6, 39 points). The former Liverpool legend made 467 career appearances for the English club as a defender and midfielder during a stretch in which Liverpool captured four domestic league titles, three F.A. Cups and the 1984 European Cup. He has been at the helm of the New England Revolution since 2002, when the club came within one goal of the MLS Cup title. The 2002 MLS Coach of the Year also led the club to within one game of the MLS Cup title game in 2003 and 2004, missing out to an overtime goal and a penalty kick shootout.
MLS also unveiled the jersey to be worn by the MLS Select Team against Real Madrid. The black adidas jersey will feature a Pepsi logo across the front, an MLS badge on the jersey and shorts and an MLS 10th Season patch and a U.S. flag patch on either sleeve.
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).
TROFEO SANTIAGO BERNABEU (1979-2004)
1979 - Bayern Munich (GER) 2, Ajax (HOL) 0
1980 - Bayern Munich (GER) 1, Real Madrid 1 (Bayern wins on PKs)
1981 - Real Madrid 0, AZ '67 (HOL) 0 (Real Madrid wins on PKs)
1982 - Hamburg (GER) 3, Standard Liege (BEL) 1
1983 - Real Madrid 3, Hamburg (GER) 2
1984 - Real Madrid 4, F.C. Köln (GER) 1
1985 - Real Madrid 4, Bayern Munich (GER) 2
1986 - Dynamo Kiev (USSR) 3, Real Madrid 2
1987 - Real Madrid 6, Everton (ENG) 1
1988 - A.C. Milan (ITA) 3, Real Madrid 0
1989 - Real Madrid 2, Liverpool (ENG) 0
1990 - A.C. Milan (ITA) 3, Real Madrid 1
1991 - Real Madrid 6, Colo Colo (CHI) 1
1992 - Ajax (HOL) 3, Real Madrid 1
1993 - Inter Milan (ITA) 2, Real Madrid 2 (Inter wins on PKs)
1994 - Real Madrid 3, Palmeiras (BRA) 2
1995 - Real Madrid 1, Ajax (HOL) 0
1996 - Real Madrid 4, Benfica (POR) 0
1997 - Real Madrid 1, Portuguesa (BRA) 0
1998 - Real Madrid 4, Penarol (URU) 0
1999 - Real Madrid 4, A.C. Milan (ITA) 2
2000 - Real Madrid 2, Santos (BRA) 0
2001 - Inter Milan (ITA) 2, Real Madrid 1
2002 - Bayern Munich (GER) 2, Real Madrid 1
2003 - Real Madrid 3, River Plate (ARG) 1
2004 - UNAM Pumas (MEX) 1, Real Madrid 0
( - indicates editions of the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu which featured semifinal matches)
