Seattle Sounders FC v. Chelsea FC: How Soccer Can Succeed

Charlie Klein

On a beautiful sunny saturday afternoon 65,289 people pack a fantastic stadium. The atmosphere is electric. The home crowd is 100 percent behind its team. Think I'm talking about an English Premier League match in England? Wrong. The scene I was just describing was what anyone who either attended the Seattle Sounders FC v. Chelsea FC match or tuned in on ESPN2 witnessed yesterday in Seattle, Washington.

Chelsea dominated the scoresheet defeating the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS two goals to nil. It is not, however, the scoreline that is the major story coming out of the match. Many Chelsea players, as well as their manager, made glowing remarks about the soccer environment that has been created in Seattle this season. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said, "It was probably the best preseason atmosphere I've ever played in, for sure." 'Lamps' added, "The game was pretty even, really. I understand what they're trying to do (in the United States) and the quality is going up."

The Pensioners' latest manager Carlo Ancelotti was left raving about the atmosphere inside the stadium. "The atmosphere was fantastic. It was a pleasure to play the game in this condition in these facilities with these people. It's a pleasure to stay here."

Chelsea, one of the top teams in European football visited the northwestern city as a part of their preseason build up to the 09/10 Premiership season. For those unfamilar with the recent success of the southwest London side, Chelsea have won the Premier League as recently as 2005, and won it in the previous season. While Manchester United have reclaimed the title as the best team in England three times over, Chelsea have made it to a Champions League Final (lost to Manchester United on penalty kicks) and made it to last year's CL Semifinal, losing to eventual champions Barcelona.

Sounders FC are the success story of the MLS this season. I understand that most people who follow soccer in the United States are fans of European sides and pay little mind to the 'subpar' U.S. league. They are on pace to shatter the average attendance record set by the Los Angeles Galaxy by a thousand more fans per game. The team has been very successful considering it is their inaugural season in the MLS. As of today the Sounders sit in second place in the MLS Western Conference, five points behind the Houston Dynamo.

Sounders FC 'Galactico' Freddy Ljungberg said, "From a European point of view, it sends definitely a message out that we can play so good against Chelsea. When I speak to my friends back home, the question is, 'What is the level and how would you play against the great teams in Europe?' I think that message was sent today. I think it was very important for a European club to see that."

For the Sounders it is as Seattle FC forward Steve Zakuani put it, "back to reality."

On a sunny Seattle afternoon the United States showed the world the kind of soccer atmosphere this country is capable of creating. Let's hope they never forget it.