The stars will be out tonight in Foxborough

Revolution face Beckham, Galaxy

David Beckham, limited to signing autographs last year in Foxborough (right), has been putting his best foot forward in '08 (left). (Joshua Lott/Reuters (left)/File/Jim Davis/Globe Staff (right))

FOXBOROUGH - Television camera operators huddled to get video of David Beckham lining up and sending shot after shot into the back of the net during practice at Gillette Stadium yesterday, and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady stopped by to greet the English star.

Tonight, the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder/pop icon is scheduled to play in Foxborough for the first time. He is expected to draw more than 35,000 fans, and tickets for his team's game against the Revolution are still available.

Last year, 35,402 fans turned out for the Galaxy's trip to Foxborough, but Beckham sat on the bench recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out most of the season. It was the largest single-game attendance for a regular-season Major League Soccer match in six years at Gillette.

Beckham is in his second season with LA. He signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements last year. He appeared in just five league matches last season, but this year has started 19 of LA's 21 matches and has five goals and eight assists.

"It's going better than the first year," Beckham said. "Of course, the first year, I was injured 95 percent of the time. It's nice to be on the field and taking part in the training, day in and day out, and getting used to the players and the players used to me. I'm enjoying it."

Beckham isn't the only star on the Galaxy. Also on the roster are forward Landon Donovan and midfielder Eddie Lewis, members of the US national team. Former US national team coach Bruce Arena was brought aboard as coach last week to try to revive the struggling team.

"We always have the optimal crowd, but it also means the team we're playing is always excited for the game," Donovan said. "When we play everyone [on the road], they have their biggest crowd of the year."

The Revolution see the game as a chance to appeal to fans who are curious about the game.

"I hope that people come and they decide to stay and become a Revolution fan," Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis said. "There is that David Beckham experience, but in the end it's the soccer that's going to keep them coming back. Hopefully, it's an attractive game, and they realize the Revolution is a good team and one that we should support."

Said Revolution defender Jay Heaps: "It's up to all the players on the field to try to engage the crowd and really keep them coming back. Beckham gives us the opportunity, and we see if we can take care of it."

The Revolution are coming off a 2-1 loss to Joe Public FC in a CONCACAF Champions League game Tuesday. Reis, who has missed three games with an adductor strain, said he feels 100 percent and is ready to play if Revolution coach Steve Nicol opts to start him tonight.

The Galaxy are 0-5-4 in their last nine games and struggling to stay in the playoff hunt. The Galaxy's defensive play has been poor. LA has allowed a league-worst 43 goals (2.05 per game).

"We've given up too many goals, clearly," Donovan said. "I mean, most games we're unorganized. So that's been Bruce's focus since he's gotten here, is just to get us more organized so that we're harder to play against. It seems like it's too easy to play against us."

Beckham said the team is trying to regain its confidence.

"You have to stay confident and you have to keep the players up for the fight and up for playing games because when you go through a tough time, it's all about sticking together as a unit," Beckham said.

Monique Walker can be reached at mwalker@globe.com