They came to see two of the most popular soccer teams in the world. They came for the grand spectacle, celebrating the rise of soccer in the United States. They came to see the great Cristiano Ronaldo; and they got their wish, at least in the second half — look at that, he’s in; he’s in! Right here in Michigan! Can you believe it?
But most of all, they came to be part of history.
The largest crowd ever to watch a soccer match in the U.S. — announced at 109,318 — crammed into Michigan Stadium on Saturday afternoon and watched Manchester United beat Real Madrid, 3-1, in a preseason contest that was shown in 40 countries around the world.
For the full article, see Jeff Seidel, “Fans set record at Michigan Stadium to watch, celebrate soccer”, Detroit Free Press, August 3, 2014.
Brooks Peck, “Man United-Real Madrid friendly at Michigan Stadium sets attendance record for soccer match in the U.S.“, Yahoo Sports, August 2, 2014.