New York Red Bulls

• 1. The MetroStars Era

  ›

  In October 1994, the club was established as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. They began play in Major League Soccer's inaugural season in 1996. The original owners were John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick. Their first coach was Eddie Firmani, a former New York Cosmos legend. Tab Ramos became the first player to sign with MLS and joined the team immediately. Tony Meola, a 1994 FIFA World Cup teammate of Ramos, also arrived early on. A.C. Milan star midfielder Roberto Donadoni joined the roster shortly after. Peter Vermes was named the first team captain. Giovanni Savarese emerged as the Metros' first breakthrough star despite being previously unknown.

  The team struggled significantly during its early years. In 1999, under coach Bora Milutinović, they finished with a record of 7 wins and 25 losses. This remains the worst record in MLS history. Fans dubbed the "Curse of Caricola" after defender Nicola Caricola accidentally scored an own goal in their first home game against the New England Revolution. That match ended in a 1, 0 loss before 46,000 fans. Despite hiring famous players like Lothar Matthäus from Bayern Munich in 2000, the team failed to click together. Matthäus played only 16 games before his tenure was considered a disappointment. Clint Mathis set an MLS record by scoring five goals in a single game against Dallas Burn on the 26th of August 2000.

  1015

• 2. Red Bull Takeover

  ›

  On the 9th of March 2006, Austrian energy drink conglomerate Red Bull GmbH purchased the club. They completely re-branded the franchise, changing the name, colors, and logo. The new name became Red Bull New York, though the league and media referred to them as the New York Red Bulls. Red Bull had originally approached Major League Soccer about creating an expansion club in New York City proper. Concerns over buying out the MetroStars' territorial rights led them to purchase the existing franchise instead. They took over the stadium project in Harrison, New Jersey.

  The takeover brought immediate changes to the roster. Bruce Arena replaced interim coach Mo Johnston just days after the sale. Claudio Reyna signed as a designated player alongside Colombian star Juan Pablo Angel. Teenage striker Jozy Altidore emerged as one of the league's brightest young talents. On the 18th of August 2007, David Beckham made his league debut at Giants Stadium. The match drew 66,238 fans for a draw against the LA Galaxy. Despite this high-profile attention, the team struggled tactically under Arena. He resigned on the 5th of November 2007, after guiding the club to the playoffs but losing in the first round to the New England Revolution.

  71924

• 3. Stadium Evolution

  ›

  Red Bull New York played their home matches at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, since 2010. Before that, they played at Giants Stadium from 1996 until the end of the 2009 season. The new venue opened with an exhibition game against Santos FC on the 20th of March 2010. The Red Bulls won that inaugural match 3, 1. Joel Lindpere scored the first goal in the stadium during that game. The first MLS league game took place on the 27th of March 2010, with a 1, 0 win over the Chicago Fire.

  Since opening in 2010, the Red Bulls have been dominant at Sports Illustrated Stadium. They hold the most wins and points at home for the best home record in Major League Soccer history. The performance has earned the stadium the nickname "The Fortress." The facility has a seating capacity of 25,189. Prior to 2010, the team used various temporary venues including Yurcak Field in Piscataway and Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale. These locations hosted U.S. Open Cup matches when Giants Stadium was unavailable or unsuitable.

  434

• 4. Tactical Identity

  ›

  Hans Backe became head coach on the 7th of January 2010. He introduced a new approach by signing veteran European players from Scandinavia and Britain instead of South American talent. This strategy led to an undefeated preseason including the first match at Red Bull Arena against Santos FC. The club signed Thierry Henry as a designated player in July 2010. Rafael Márquez joined as their third designated player on the 2nd of August 2010. This made them the first MLS team to have three designated players simultaneously.

  Jesse Marsch took over coaching duties on the 7th of January 2015. He implemented a high-pressure tactical system known as "Energy Drink Soccer." This style mirrored other Red Bull Global teams under Ralf Rangnick. Marsch built his system around talents like Sacha Kljestan, Mike Grella, Felipe Martins, and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Academy product Matt Miazga emerged as a key defender before being signed by Chelsea. Marsch's tenure saw the club win multiple Supporters' Shield titles. He left for RB Leipzig after winning the Supporters' Shield and topping the Eastern Conference twice. Chris Armas took over as interim coach following Marsch's departure.

  6061

• 5. Rivalries

  ›

  The first meeting between the Red Bulls and NYCFC happened on the 10th of May 2015, at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Matches between these teams were marred by brawls between supporters early on. The Red Bulls won all four matchups initially, outscoring NYCFC by twelve goals total. By 2023, the overall record stood at 16 wins for Red Bulls, 12 for NYCFC, and 4 draws. A trophy was unveiled in 2023 to award the winner of league meetings. RBNY won the first edition with a 1, 0 win and 0, 0 draw against NYC during league play.

  New York Red Bulls II serves as the reserve team competing in the USL Championship. They completed their inaugural season with a 12, 10, 6 record in fourth place. The team won their first playoff game against Pittsburgh Riverhounds and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2015. In 2016, they defeated Swope Park Rangers 5, 1 to win the United Soccer League Final. This made them the first MLS-owned team to win the USL title. The facility opened in June 2013

  6778

• 6. Player Development

  ›

  covers about 15 acres of property in Hanover Township, New Jersey.

  7599