| Several top European football (soccer) clubs are | | | | were. I did not think they were nearly as big as |
| playing exhibition games around the world to help | | | | they were going to be," he said. "I am usually one |
| prepare for the coming season, and to increase | | | | of the bigger guys on the field. And I think, |
| the popularity of the sport. Defending U.S. Major | | | | tonight, I was probably in the middle of the pack. |
| League Soccer champion DC United hosted English | | | | So, I was really surprised." |
| Premier League champion Chelsea in one of those | | | | Teenage phenom Freddy Adu also learned first |
| games Thursday. | | | | hand about some of the great names he has |
| Chelsea has become the most expensive football | | | | followed. |
| team in the world, signing its players to huge | | | | "When you watch these guys on TV, they are |
| contracts worth millions of dollars each. So it | | | | made out to be invincible, so to speak. And when |
| came as little surprise that the more than $200 | | | | you are playing with them out there on the field, |
| million squad became the top English team last | | | | you play them just like anybody else. That is just |
| year. The scale is much smaller in U.S. Major | | | | the way you have to think about it," said Adu. |
| League Soccer. DC United won its league title last | | | | "We were able to play and hang with them. We |
| year with a total payroll of just $2.2 million. | | | | just got unlucky that they beat us, because we |
| But the clash of the champions in an international | | | | had some chances." |
| friendly Thursday near Washington provided some | | | | While DC United was unlucky in a 2-1 loss, the |
| lessons for the respective teams. | | | | team and more than 31,400 fans were treated to |
| Earlier in the day, in Tokyo, the Japanese | | | | some spectacular playmaking by Chelsea. Irish |
| J-League leaders Kashima Antlers upset English | | | | forward Damien Duff showed the touch of a |
| Premier League football power Manchester United, | | | | world-class player, when he left-footed a waist |
| 2-1. Spanish giant Real Madrid lost an exhibition | | | | high ball from the corner of the box. His curling |
| game this week, while AC Milan of Italy had a | | | | shot across the goal ended just inside the right |
| much tougher time beating the MLS Chicago Fire | | | | post. Hernan Crespo of Argentina made his |
| than the 3-1 score would suggest. | | | | empty net strike in the 56th minute look easy |
| Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho did not | | | | when DC United substitute goalkeeper Troy |
| underestimate DC United's talents, and made | | | | Perkins was drawn out of position. |
| certain his players did not either. "I was speaking | | | | U.S. soccer fans near New York will get another |
| with the players before the game. And I was | | | | look at Chelsea and AC Milan when the two |
| asking them if they could answer the reasons | | | | teams face each other Sunday in East |
| why Manchester United lost in Japan, Real Madrid | | | | Rutherford, New Jersey. Both squads will then |
| lost, the reason why AC Milan had it so difficult | | | | return to Europe with undoubtedly a new |
| against Chicago, and they told me, because of | | | | perspective of soccer in the United States. |
| motivation, because of attitude, because of no | | | | Several of the MLS players for both Washington |
| respect for the opponent." | | | | and Chicago are also part of the U.S. national |
| Chelsea quickly found respect when DC United | | | | men's team, which is enjoying its all-time highest |
| defender Bobby Boswell headed in the first goal | | | | world ranking at Number Six, and is wrapping up |
| of the game in the 31st minute. In the process, | | | | qualification for next year's World Cup in |
| the tall Boswell learned something about Chelsea. | | | | Germany. |
| "I was actually really surprised at how big they | | | | |