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SOME METRO(AREA) STARS

Pele, Franz Beckenbauer to attend New York Red Bulls home opener

Pele will be making a return to Giants Stadium for the Red Bulls opener

Former Cosmos superstars Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, one of the prime movers of Red Bull buying the MetroStars, will take the honorary kickoff at the Red Bulls home against against the New England Revolution on April 8.

They will be among a number of former Cosmos and Metros who will be in attendance at the Red Bulls unveiled their "Tribute to New York Soccer."

?You can't move forward without respecting the past, and so we're going to celebrate the rich soccer tradition that is such a vital part of the New York metropolitan area,? Red Bulls president and general manager Alexi Lalas said.

As part of a ceremony that will take place before kickoff, the Cosmos and Metros will be honored in an on-field presentation and video tribute on the stadium?s Daktronic Board. Pele and Beckenbauer will then take the honorary first kick.

The Cosmos were part of the North American Soccer League and called the tri-state area home from 1971-1985. The list of former Cosmos players who will be in attendance for the Red Bulls home opener includes: Pele, Beckenbauer, Shep Messing, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto Torres, Hubert Birkenmeier, Andranik Eskandarian, Vladislav Bogicevic, Werner Roth, Freddy Grgurev, Erhardt Kapp, Wim Rijsbergen, Julio Cesar Romero, Boris Bandov, Jorge Siega, and Nelsi Morais

The former Metros confirmed include: Roberto Donadoni, Giovanni Savarese, Peter Vermes, Mark Semioli, Rhett Harty, Miles Joseph, Brian Kelly and Jimmy Rooney.

The Cosmos and Metros will be at the Red Bull Energy Station -- a unique, two-story structure that serves as an oasis for season ticket holders to mingle.