By David Beard, Globe Staff

Hordes of soccer fans descended on Boston today to catch a glimpse of some
of the world's top players on the eve of a match at Gillette Stadium
between two European archrivals.

Fans from as far as Montreal and New York, many wearing the blue-and-black
of Inter Milan and the red-and-black of AC Milan, waited outside two
downtown hotels and thronged the Niketown on Newbury Street, where several
players and Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho made an appearance.

A security official said there were long lines outside Niketown by 8 a.m.,
more than two hours before the appearance.

"I had a friend here who was here at 5," said Michelle
Trio, a Boston University sophomore from Marlborough. Trio was one of
scores of fans who did not get the opportunity to get inside the store
before the stars left. She said she would be at the match tomorrow.

One security official said he was surprised by the crowds. "I don't know
anything about soccer. I never even heard of this team before," said the
guard, who asked that he be identified as Daryl, from Mattapan.

Using a clicker, he counted 700 people pouring through his entrance in 90
minutes and estimated 1,500 overall.

Throughout the Back Bay and the North End, people were clad in Milan colors
or the blue jerseys of the Italian national team or the yellow of Brazil's
team. Several of the Milan teams' stars are Brazilian, including
Ronaldinho, the former world player of the year.