Soccer Storms MetLife: Barcelona Tops Real Madrid in Thrilling Preseason Clash

Through the torrential downpour and thunder rolling in the sky above MetLife Stadium, 82,154 fans bore the brunt of a mid-summer storm to watch Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a thrilling preseason friendly between two rivals that has become somewhat of a tradition in the United States. It did not matter that some of the Spanish clubs' biggest stars were either still on vacation, resting from the recent European Championship and Copa America, or absent on Olympic Games duty for their countries in France. This was still El Clasico, and the crowd reveled in watching young stars including Barcelona's Pau Victor and Nico Paz, and veterans such as Real Madrid's Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, battle it out on the muddy pitch across the Hudson River from Manhattan for 90 minutes of pure entertainment. Spectators sang along to the club's chants, and stadium staff set off fireworks for every goal scored, even those that were later ruled out for offside. It was an impressive reception for a match that, as far as official record-keeping goes, meant close to nothing. But that match last weekend, along with dozens of others like it throughout the United States, have come to mean a whole lot to the international soccer ecosystem. "This is preseason, and it's totally different than the normal Clasico," Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told reporters afterward. "You can see that a lot of players are missing, (from) both teams, but at the end (of the day) it's also really good to have all these players here. The young players... it's fantastic to have them here." Considering the hype seen in New Jersey that night, players' absences did little to deter fans from flocking to a venue that is the home to New York's two NFL teams -- the Giants and Jets. The match, which was halted after just 12 minutes of play because of the severe weather and didn't resume for an hour, was expected to generate $25 million in revenue, people familiar with the deal told The Athletic. Flick was addressing reporters inside a glass-enclosed conference room, with fans gathered around and peering through those translucent walls at the stadium which will host the 2026 men's World Cup final. The supporters' cheers muffled journalists' questions, with security repeatedly asking them to quiet down. Fans lingered in and around the stadium long after the game ended. This was just one of the many high-profile soccer friendlies that took place across the U.S. this summer, with European football clubs jet-setting coast to coast to compete on pitches inside MLS, NFL, college-football, and even MLB stadiums. Teams from the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Serie A in Italy, and the German Bundesliga held glitzy press tours and community events across the country. The painstaking preparation for Wolverhampton Wanderers' three-match tour -- estimated to have cost £1,050,000 in total -- was detailed by The Athletic. A week before Barca-Real, Manchester City and AC Milan played inside Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 46,122 fans. The Italian side won 3-2 with U.S. men's national team captain Christian Pulisic coming on in the 80th minute. Pulisic has understandably been the face of Milan's own tour, while City boasted players including Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and England international Jack Grealish at fan events around New York City in the lead-up to matchday. While the footballing spectacle is impressive, the business relationships between the professional clubs and baseball's Yankees run deep. In 2013, Manchester City and the Yankees announced plans to establish an MLS expansion side, NYCFC. City Football Group owns both clubs, as well as a portfolio of others around the world. As for Milan, the team also has deep ties to American businesses. The club is owned by New York-based RedBird Capital Partners, and, in 2022, the Yankees purchased a minority stake. That same year, the two teams announced plans to begin selling AC Milan products inside Yankee Stadium. Milan's CEO Giorgio Furlani expressed pride in their American connections, stating, "I would confidently say we are the most American club of Italian clubs, and we're very happy to be here." Wrexham, a Welsh club from the English third tier made globally famous by a documentary series about them and co-owned by American actor Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, has played Chelsea, another Premier League club in American hands, in the States in successive summers. Their meetings in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, drew impressive attendance numbers, showcasing the growing interest in European soccer among American fans. The influx of American ownership in international football mirrors the trend of European clubs increasing their presence in the U.S. Arsenal, too, has embraced the American market, utilizing the Rams’ SoFi Stadium for preseason matches while hosting community events that bridge the gap between American football and soccer. Despite the impressive turnout for Arsenal's recent clash against Manchester United, team management acknowledges the challenges posed by ticket pricing and venue logistics. As these high-profile matches continue to draw crowds, the prospect of European clubs returning to the U.S. for more than just preseason friendlies is looming. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a legend of the sport and advisor for AC Milan's U.S. ownership, noted, "For the fans, it becomes even more special because they see the two big teams, two big clubs play against each other," hinting at the potential for Champions League-level matches in the future. With FIFA considering rule changes that could allow domestic league matches to be played abroad, the possibility of bringing more meaningful soccer events to American soil is gaining traction. As the soccer landscape evolves, the trend of European clubs touring the U.S. is likely to expand, paving the way for a deeper integration of soccer into American sports culture. As the anticipation builds for the first edition of the revamped Club World Cup to be held in the U.S. next summer, the growing synergy between American and European soccer seems poised to unleash a new chapter in the sport's narrative on this side of the Atlantic, reaffirming the U.S. as a crucial market for clubs seeking to enhance their global brands. The coming years promise to reshape the way American audiences engage with the beautiful game, making it an exciting time for fans and clubs alike.