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David Beckham inspired T-shirts by Objectivo Apparel
Beverly Hills, Beckham Mansion
Super soft t-shirt (American Apparel)
Number 23, MLS Jersey Style-Distresses Vintage Shirt on Super Soft T-Shirt (American Apparel)
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Womens soccer t-shirt, distressed vintage shirt
Roman Numeral Seven Tattoo T-Shirt
Tattoo shirt inspried by one of many Beckham tattoos
Lalas and Messing breakdown the second week in MLS.
The newest Major League Soccer team will be called Seattle Sounders FC.
About half the 14,500 fans who voted on the team name wrote in Sounders. That was about 20 percent more than the choices offered by the club: Alliance, Republic or Seattle FC.
Club officials didn't want the traditional Sounders name, but fans had the write-in option. The Sounders name has been identified with soccer in Seattle since 1974.
The team also unveiled its logo Monday, which shows a silhouette of the Space Needle against a a blue and green background with the words "Seattle Sounders FC" written across it.
The Seattle MLS team already has deposits for 13,000 season tickets. Play begins in March 2009 in Qwest Field. Seattle will be the 15th team in the MLS.
I love the new name. What do you guys think?
If the Los Angeles Galaxy are going to be America’s version of the Galacticos, the stars have to shine. On Thursday night at the Home Depot Center, David Beckham and Landon Donovan did more than just shine. Each player finished with a goal and an assist as the Galaxy beat the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-0, in the Quakes’ first game back in MLS.
Before a packed house that included L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit fielded a more traditional 4-4-2. U23 standout Mike Randolph, inexplicably left out in last week’s 4-0 loss to Colorado, was back in the lineup, and Donovan started up top after being invisible on the flank last week.
The changes paid dividends in the 9th minute. A giveaway near midfield was picked up by Donovan, who turned and threaded a pass to Beckham, who made a quick diagonal run behind the defense. Beckham one-timed a shot between the legs of goalkeeper Joe Cannon to give the Galaxy the lead. It was Beckham’s first league goal, although he scored once in last year’s Superliga tournament.
Donovan himself then doubled the lead in the 37th minute. After flurried interplay near midfield, Beckham lofted a ball behind the Quakes defense. Donovan, who won two MLS Cups with San Jose earlier this decade, outran Ryan Cochrane to the ball and gracefully lifted the ball over the outstretched arms of an onrushing Cannon.
The second half was a more defensive battle as L.A. tightened the defense. San Jose, meanwhile, were unable to mount even a half-chance.
The Galaxy, playing without striker Carlos Ruiz, nearly iced the game through Alan Gordon, but his touch let him down and Nick Garcia was able to close him down before he released his shot.
Lalas and Messing breakdown the first week in MLS.
Ouch!!! 40% haircut on opening day?
Are more empty stadiums in MLS and Beckhams future?
David Beckham's move to Major League Soccer may have been good for his wallet but it has apparently not helped his popularity in Asia.
Empty seats and surprising indifference greeted football's greatest star, who was mobbed like a rockstar on his first trip to the region, as he completed an Asian tour with LA Galaxy.
Just 11,000 paying fans turned up to watch Galaxy's lethargic performance here, leaving most of Hong Kong Stadium empty, while similar numbers watched the team in Shanghai.
Dozens, rather than hundreds, of supporters greeted the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man at Hong Kong airport, while screaming fans at the team hotel were notable by their absence.
Beckham, whose England future has also been clouded by the US move, thanked fans for an "incredible" welcome. However, he may have been wondering why so many of them didn't turn up.
"It's been incredible," he said. "It's been a great tour for us. Everywhere we've gone, people have been amazing to the team and showed us lot of love."
Loyal supporters here said Beckham's profile had dipped since his transfer to Galaxy on a reported 250-million-dollar, five-year deal.
"The fact that you don't get to watch the American league here so much, and the fact he's not playing in the English Premier League or in Spain is a big factor," said fan Chuck Lee.
"He's handsome, he's attractive," said Esther Chan. "But I think the Galaxy is not so good at football."
The sentiment was borne out on the field as Beckham looked in a different class to his team-mates, who were content to feed him the ball and wait for his pin-point crosses.
Despite two converted penalties by the Englishman, Galaxy were beaten by South China invitational in a poor advertisement for US football -- and, by extension, for Brand Beckham.
However, he said the tour had been important for the team, coached by Ruud Gullit, as it prepares for the upcoming US season.
"Team spirit can win a game or a championship," Beckham said.
"In these three weeks we've had good bonding between the players on and off the field. That's what it's all about."
Beckham-mania was at its height in 2001, when adoring crowds followed his every move on visits to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand with Manchester United.
One Bangkok fan placed a sculpture of his idol in a Buddhist temple, while a three-metre (10-foot) chocolate image of the young midfielder was created in Japan.
During the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Beckham's distinctive mohawk hairdo spawned legions of imitators. In 2003, 1,000 screaming fans greeted him as he arrived in Japan with Real Madrid.
Last year, Beckham played in front of huge crowds in Sydney and Wellington, with 15,000 schoolchildren turning up just to watch him train.
And the current tour has not been without its moments. Hundreds of fans and media caused chaos at a Shanghai hospital when Beckham visited leukaemia patients there.
However many Asian fans have shown they are no longer willing to pay high ticket prices to watch Beckham, proving the adage that one player cannot carry the team.
"This is the Galaxy, not Real Madrid," commented Hong Kong Football Association chairman Brian Leung.
Like most US Soccer fans, I read the recent articles on Bruce Arena at Goal.com. His honesty is always refreshing and his perspective on USSF spot on. So why do I always get depressed after I hear this honesty? Well, because truth hurts. Yes the USMNT had a terrible draw, but for the most part we were way over our heads in believing we‘d have success in Germany.
That being said. The time Arena took over the USMNT in 1998 – the US soccer community discussed our core weaknesses on the pitch – speed of play, athleticism and creative players. Every coach and administrator could agree that the African-American / Urban athlete was missing from the American soccer landscape.
So today my optimism comes from the path America has taken over the last decade and strides we’ve made. We essentially could have a roster full of African Americans who will be admired by the next soccer generation.
Arena’s probably right that we have years before we have the players to compete for a World Cup. However, the achievements of the players above and players like Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley has given this US soccer fan hope.
By Matt Lengkeek
The Son's of Ben are the Fanatical Followers of the Philadelphia Team
Philadelphia has been awarded the Sixteenth MLS Franchise on Thursday, and will start play in 2010.
Although the team is unnamed at the moment, the Philadelphia Independence is the leader in the clubhouse at the moment. The team will be playing in a soccer specific stadium which will hold 18,500 people on the Delaware River waterfront. The team will be placed in the suburb of Chester, southwest of Philadelphia, in hopes of redeveloping the area as well as providing a good environment for a match.
Philadelphia has been lacking a soccer team since 1980, and that was a women’s side. Philadelphia provides another great city where lively fans can create bitter rivalries with the surrounding teams from New York, Washington D.C., and the New England Revolution. Bitter rivalries and fanatical supporters will help the MLS, and I cannot wait until the Philadelphia franchise is competing against those specific teams.
These Guys Hopefully Will Have More Fans This Season
The Press Release from the Kansas City Wizards stated:
The Kansas City Wizards and First Student will partner on a program providing FREE “Legends Express” buses to Kansas City Wizards matches at Community America Ballpark for groups of 50 or more. As part of the Wizards Soccer Shuttle program, groups will be picked up from anywhere inside the Kansas City metropolitan and surrounding areas, dropped off at Community America Ballpark at the Legends in KCK and then returned to their initial location after the match.
“We are pleased to form a relationship with First Student and provide large groups the opportunity for free transportation to Wizards matches via the Legends Express,” Wizards Executive Vice President Greg Cotton said. "The Wizards Soccer Shuttle program" will help us create a party atmosphere at the stadium that all fans of Kansas City's team enjoy.”...
Alcohol will be permitted, but not included, on the Legends Express vehicles for patrons 21 and older, excluding kegs. Tailgating at the stadium will also be available and encouraged in a special Legends-Express parking section. Participants in the Wizards Soccer Shuttle program will receive commemorative T-shirts as part of the package. Ticket prices for groups of 50+ start at $500 for berm seats.
Finally, the MLS is starting to try and tap into the true football fan, the fans that want to have a “booze up”, and be drunken chanters at matches. Kansas City has had a pitiful amount of people that have shown up for their matches, and now are looking to expand on their fan base. I was lucky enough to attend several Portland Timbers matches while attending University and their fans had arranged something similar to away matches at the Seattle Sounders stadium. Hopefully, this arrangement will work and catch on in the MLS, because they still need true football fans at the matches.
Courtesy of Goal.com
William Conde
There’s too much going on this week to keep it to one topic, so strap in, we’re going for a Monday morning ride …
If you thought there was any chance I’d start this column without referencing Barnsley’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool in Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round tie (watch this clip, you’re having a laugh. I wrote a lengthy post on the match almost immediately after it ended, praising Saturday’s performance to the heavens, so I won’t belabor the success of my favorite club any longer except to note that I want a home draw in the next round. I’d prefer it not to be Chelsea or Man United, but any home draw will do. Oh, and I think Rafa’s gone if Inter stuffs Liverpool on Tuesday.
If Steve Marlet is good enough to start and succeed in MLS at this point in his career, this league hasn’t made the progress I think it has made over the past few seasons. Steve Davis found the morsel on Friday. The sad thing for Marlet (and the good thing for the league): players with his pedigree (23 caps for France, stints at Marseille, Lyon, Wolfsburg, and Fulham) now have to come in on trial.
Speaking of the Fire, can Chicago stop letting New York treat it as an ugly step-child? Wilman Conde said he wants out of Chicago to link up with Juan Carlos Osorio. The bad news is that the player almost always gets his way at some point. The good news is that the Fire can rightfully hold New York over a barrel if they are going to hand the Red Bulls the crucial piece to their defensive puzzle. Dema Kovalenko won’t be nearly enough. Start the bidding at Kovalenko (if the Fire wants him), Dane Richards, and oodles of allocation money. Even if the Red Bulls tell the Fire to stuff it, it’s a step out from under New York’s thumb. And Chicago needs it.
The only reason I’m looking forward to the Pan-Pacific Championship? Sydney FC manager John Kosmina. The former Australian international is a powder keg on the sidelines. Sure, it’s a glorified friendly, but Kosmina could go wild at any moment. Aside from that, it’s something to screen late at night on ESPN Classic if you’re still up and bored. And anyone who refers to Alex Brosque as a “star” hasn’t seen him “finish” yet.
I like the Galaxy’s move to bring in Greg Vanney to help stabilize that defense. But I’m left wondering this: could it get any more fragile at the back with Vanney, Babayaro, and Xavier?
I like Nat Borchers to Real Salt Lake. No disrespect to Eddie Pope or his legacy, but Borchers probably becomes the best defender the team has boasted in its history. He’s a steady player, one that plays at a consistent level right below U.S. National Team standards. In Major League Soccer right now, it’s tough to find those players at reasonable salaries. I’d guess Borchers’ salary is just north of reasonable, but when you’re Salt Lake, you can and should pay a premium for consistency.
Get off Ramiro Corrales, America. Yeah, he’s not a U.S. National Team player. We’ve known that for a while, and Bob Bradley should have figured it out before he even called him into camp. But he’ll be one of the two or three best left backs in the league when he eventually signs for San Jose. Like Borchers, he’ll probably make a bit too much in the league scheme, but he’s worth it.
One of my esteemed editors made the case on Sunday that MLS players shouldn’t go to Scandinavia because it hampers their national team ambitions. My addendum would be this: Who cares? A player’s footballing life is short. He needs to cash in whenever possible, and that doesn’t happen in MLS. Look at the players that head abroad: marginal national team players who have reached their financial ceiling in MLS. Should they give up a more secure future for the fleeting hope of a few national team appearances? I say no. Plus, it’s nice to see someone exact some leverage on the league every once in a while.
Diego Serna couldn’t play in the league last time he made an appearance in America. Why is Juan Carlos Osorio giving him a chance during preseason?
While it’s great for Ty Harden to move on with his life, I can’t help but wonder whether the lack of money played a part in it? Giving your life to charitable work isn’t a highly-paid endeavor, but it probably pays more than full-roster rookie scale in this league. I think there’s more to the story here, but if it means one more person helping out the world, it may be wise to just let it be.
Johnnier Montano may not be a bad gamble for Toronto FC if he comes cheaply. But what differentiates him from Marlet, except for former starlet Montano’s success in the mediocre Peruvian league? Bring him in on trial and see if he can make an impact.
I don’t know much about Mauricio Castro, the Honduran midfielder the Revs will likely sign in the next few days. What I do know is that he will likely slot in at left midfield. And if I’m Khano Smith, I’m worried that a team that has struggled to sign players managed to sign one that plays my position. It’d make me question my place in the team if the striker-lean and defender-shorn side inked a left midfielder as its first signing of the off-season.
Dwayne De Rosario doesn’t have to worry about his place in Houston’s team, but he came out this week and said that he didn’t want to play forward. Can you blame him? If he has to play striker, it means the team hasn’t done its job to replace Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua. It’s a reasonable proposition from the Canadian.
Maybe the Dynamo can swap with the forward-heavy Fire. Does Chicago need five or six strikers? I mean, you’re not going to keep all the guys they want to bring in happy with the minutes they can dole out. More troubling is that I don’t see a 10-12 goal scorer in the bunch right now, even if Tomasz Frankowski recovers from his injury-plagued recent history.
One last thought: Brian Howard (and his blessed left foot) is not for sale.
Courtesy of goal.com
Despite several rumors, unsettled Derby County midfielder Benny Feilhaber is not set to join the Houston Dynamo.
The internet is always full of rumors. Though wishful thinking might be a better description when it comes to the latest gossip on U.S. international Benny Feilhaber, and rumors of a loan deal that would send the unsettled Derby County midfielder to Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo on loan.
“That’s the first I’ve heard anything about Benny coming here,” Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said when contacted late Thursday night.
The 23-year-old is struggling to find playing time with the Rams, who are mired in the Premier League’s relegation zone. He has made only eight appearances since moving from Bundesliga side Hamburger SV in the summer. Fellow American Eddie Lewis is also at Derby.
The concern for many U.S. fans is that Feilhaber’s lack of playing time at the club level will start to affect his international performances. Born in Brazil and raised in Irvine, CA, Feilhaber became a household name last summer when he scored the winning goal
against Mexico in the Gold Cup final. He was called in for the U.S. National Team’s two recent friendlies, but saw no time against Sweden and came on as a second-half substitute against Mexico.
Feilhaber started the Rams’ reserve match on Thursday, a 5-0 loss to Reading’s reserves, but it seems likely that the young American is on his way out of Pride Park.
One possible destination that has recently been mentioned is MLS expansion side San Jose Earthquakes, who start play this season and could use a player with Feilhaber’s skills, experience, and name recognition.
Andrew Jacobson, the Latest MLS Draftee
to Leave for a Foreign League
Here’s a good question: If there isn't a guarantee that a drafted player will stick around, or at least leave the team that drafts him with a transfer fee or a future draft pick or something, why have a draft at all?
If the MLS wants to prioritize developing American talent (either to increase the level of domestic talent in MLS or to send more US players aboard and build our international reputation) they need to invest in these players. That means raising the minimum salaries and successfully developing or exposing young talent and sending them abroad at the right time. Yet, the MLS is very restrictive in the instances in which they allow certain players to leave. Thus, signing a contract quickly after or before the draft doesn’t ensure the player of having the best situation to succeed in football.
Maybe I'm way off on this, or just don't get the draft, but it all seems like a lot of work and expense for nothing. No other league in the world host’s a draft for players coming out of their University or for kids reaching the age of eighteen. The MLS should coordinate with the NCAA for a time period after a player decides he is leaving college, when he can sign with MLS teams, or another professional team. This will ensure that a player will be playing in the MLS or if he decides he wants to play abroad, he can make inquires into that.
That might not be the best solution, and it might not be the solution at all, but something new and different needs to be installed before this happens on a more massive scale? What are your thoughts on the matter?
Eddie Johnson is the new addition to Fulhamerica over in the English Premier League.
Eddie Johnson on the Move
Johnson now makes the fifth American on Fulham’s books, and looks to be another American about to be playing in the Championship. Fulham are sitting nineteenth out of twenty places and have only taken fifteen points out of twenty three matches, and hasn’t won an away match for over a calendar year. Yet, it isn’t an entirely bad situation for Eddie Johnson, nor was it a bad move for Eddie to make the jump now.
If Fulham is relegated into the Championship, Soccer by Ives has released information that the club will not be shy in spending money next year and push for the club to be promoted the year following. Johnson also is great friends with Clint Dempsey and if they can form a good strike partnership, it will benefit not only Fulham but the US National Team as well.
So what’s your opinion on the Johnson transfer ?
Applications Available Now at www.lagalaxy.com
The LA Galaxy announced that they will hold their second annual Open Tryout from February 9-12 at The Home Depot Center. This year's tryout will again be open to male players 18 years of age or older who believe that they can perform at the MLS level. Galaxy Director of Soccer Paul Bravo , along with former Galaxy assistant coach Ralph Perez and select other Galaxy approved assessors, will oversee the trials.
Similar to last year, applications for the event can be found at www.lagalaxy.com and space is again very limited. Registration costs $150 and all applicants must have a valid email address so that the club can communicate with them in advance of the tryout.
College players with any eligibility remaining are not permitted to participate in the tryout per NCAA rules and regulations, while current professional players must have a letter of release from their current club.
Last year's Open Tryout was an unprecedented success with two players, Rui Fortes and Laurent Merlin, who later went on to play for Chivas USA, being selected from the capacity group of 800 players from more than 20 countries on six continents who participated in the event. The tryout was also a significant story in the global media with outlets including BBC, CNN, ESPN, Sky and many more covering the proceedings.
Register here: Register Now >
Inter Milan's former Portugal winger Luis Figo on Thursday distanced himself from a possible transfer window move to the United States, insisting he was concentrating firmly on his current club.
Where Will Luis Figo Go?
Rumors have linked Figo with a move to the New England Revolution as well as a few other clubs in the MLS. Figo would add a lot of flare and skill to the MLS, and provide an example of a model professional to his fellow teammates and young players in the USA. Although, Luis Figo must be debating his situation because he still has plenty of skill and drive to play in Europe at the top level, where would you like him to play next year?
Check out our poll here at objectivo.com , and cast your vote!
Gold Cup Champions and Win over Mexico: 41.67%
David Beckham’s Arrival: 25%
Under 20’s Team Success: 16.67%
Houston Dynamo’s Repeat: 8.33%
Other: 8.33%
Well the results are in and the majority of the voters believed that the United States success in the Gold Cup was the most memorable moment. Of course, beating Mexico is always wonderful and doing it to win silverware is even better!
Benny's Midas Touch
Beckham’s arrival in the United States, although not prolific, was very effective in providing a platform for soccer to build in the United States. While the US Under-20 world cup displayed that the United States possesses talent to build with in the near future.
Here’s a great idea that we have came across at Objectivo.
Her City Wants a Soccer Franchise
New Yorker’s want a soccer team in the Big Apple, and why not, they are the largest city in the United States. So Emilio got the bright idea to start a petition, but not just any petition. He has given the reader eleven ways to help in getting enough names on the petition to go after the potential owners of the club, whom could bring the dream of a soccer team to fruition. Check the article out, and sign “Bring Soccer to New York City”.
There's a lot of stuff written about Toronto and how they have real fans, not ones who complain about buying tickets for superstars who then don't show up to play. Well, there may be substantial truth in that if a recent snippet or two of information is anything to go by.
For a start, all season tickets have been sold for 2008. And, the club had to limit such tickets to 16,000, up from 14,000 in the inaugural season this year. Just goes to show you don't necessarily need a team to be playing well to create demand. You just need fans who will support the team through thick and thin. As I never tire of saying, well maybe after having to explain to Americans where it is, I am a fan of Gillingham FC and I will be till the day I die. And we never win anything. You also need, of course, a club who recognizes the importance of such fans.
Mo Johnston and Jim Brennan at the Pub Crawl
The other brilliant piece of information about Toronto FC is that the club recently organized a major pub crawl in the city for fans to mingle with players. Fantastic. Talk about team and fan bonding. This is surely a lesson for all clubs. Hats off to Toronto FC. I hope they have a better season next year on the pitch because their fans, the players and the club certainly deserve it. I, for one, would love to make it to Toronto next year for an away game. Any Rapids fans agree?
MLS Rule Changes
Major League Soccer teams each will be granted one more roster spot to acquire another foreign player next season. The distinction between a senior and youth international has been abolished, thus any foreign player can be replaced in that spot. This move also allows the teams to trade those spots, and actually field an entire team without an American.
The level of non-resident Americans that can play in the MLS is just under thirty percent. Using the International market is the key for the MLS, with the likes of Becks and Angel, the quality is better and it attracts more people. Landon Donovan also now can stay on the LA Galaxy legitimately, but not because Becks took up the “Designated Foreign Player” spot. But Becks being a non-resident isn’t a problem because he, Carlos Ruiz, and Eddie Johnson were allowed to keep their bulky salary. Otherwise, Landon might have left the MLS entirely, and then the marquee American, wouldn’t be playing in the United States. That exception isn’t fair to the other teams, but is necessary to maintain the quality of the league.
While the MLS continues to grow, and many Americans go abroad to Europe, the clubs need quality players to fill those spots. Thus, the increase in foreign players is needed in the league for exposure as well as filling spots with decent players to fill a roster.
Troy Perkins Transfer from DC United to Norwegian Club Valerenga IF is almost fully finalized. I am among the group of believers that going abroad is the right way to further your career in football.
Valerengra IF Badge
Perkins, playing the only position in which American’s have thrived in abroad, is getting closer to those bigger clubs by playing in Norway. True, it’s not in England, Italy, Spain, or even Germany, but he can learn what it’s like to play in another country, and assimilate into a different culture. Perkin's soon-to-be new club finished the 2007 Eliteserien season in seventh place. The Bohemians have also added Norwegian midfielders Martin Andresen and Lars Iver Strand from Brann and Troms respectively in the offseason.
This year was an off year for Valerenga, where the last few years, they have finished in a Champions League position, thus, the offseason moves. This is another aspect to take into consideration by moving to a smaller club, but a top club in the country. This gives him a chance to play against some of the best talent in the world, and in the best football environments in the entire world. Perkins then can be seen first hand by many of the big clubs, and if he performs well, he could find himself moving into top flight leagues.
From the perspective of the MLS, their losing another young player to a league that is probably not as competitive as the MLS. For the season ticket holders of DC United, they have lost another young talent, after recently losing Freddy Adu, and missing out on Juan Sebastian Veron. The club has now lost three of their top prospects, and will be harder to draw in more fans to the matches. Yet, the MLS and its fans must understand this is the same predicament the French League and Dutch league have. They have very good young talent as well, but once the young player is presented with going to an Italian, Spanish, or English club, they jump at it. Troy Perkins is just an example that the league has a lot of growing to do, if it wants to keep all of its homegrown talent.
All in all, I believe his move will do him well, and keep the young goalkeepers who might compete for the USA, in top form. I appreciate the fact that he is eager to get over to Europe, and compete on another level. What is your opinion on his move to the Norwegian Club?
Ruud Gullit, current LA Galaxy Manager, demonstates the art of scoring for club & country in this video.
Gullit has signed up to play for Objectivo Cup's Hollywood United Soccer Club. Check back for updates on Objectivo Cup 2008 schedule.
I may be missing something here but I don't think Rapids' Captain Marvel Pablo Mastroeni will be too happy at being nominated for a "dubious" award. The Denver Sports Fans Choice Awards sees players from a range of sports in the city competing for various accolades including MVP, which Mastroeni is rightly up for.
However, amongst all the blurb on the awards website is the following phrase: "Athletes nominated by fans and local sports media for Most Valuable Player will go head to head with their peers for this dubious honor." Did someone try and use a fancy word and just get it wrong? Prestigious maybe but dubious? Less hype, more substance please. As well as Mastroeni, midfielder Omar Cummings is up for a rising star award and crowd favorite Bouna is nominated for a special humanitarian award. Nothing dubious about these guys.
The Associated Press noted the Los Angeles Galaxy with David Beckham drew a crowd of 15,000 to its training session in Wellington, New Zealand ahead of its Saturday exhibition game against the Wellington Phoenix.
The game is expected to be a 35,000 sellout in a stadium that has filled only for the All Blacks national rugby team and an annual rugby tournament.
The biggest soccer crowd in New Zealand's history was 32,000 for a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Auckland in 1982.
Beckham briefly addressed the crowd via stadium's video screen.
"Notoriously, [New Zealand] is big on rugby but I hope that we can change that, just for one day and hopefully going forward because I've seen the potential football or soccer has in America," said Beckham, who is making his first visit to New Zealand.
The Galaxy drew 80,000 fans Tuesday's game against Sydney FC in Australia, a 5-3 Galaxy loss in which Beckham scored on a free kick.
New Pan-Pacific Championship to feature top teams from MLS, J.League and Hyundai A-League