A FINAL WORD RUIZ, GALAXY CONFIDENT THIS IS YEAR.

Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer

FOXBORO, Mass. - These are some bold words. Talking words, but confident words, nonetheless. Words that come from a newly crowned MVP, who has carried this Galaxy team on his shoulders for seven months.

Of course, we're talking about 23-year-old Carlos Ruiz, who led Major League Soccer with 24 goals, including a record nine game-winners, and seven more in the playoffs.

``This is the most important step of them all,'' Ruiz said before the Galaxy's MLS Cup title game today against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.

This is the Galaxy's fourth trip to the MLS final in seven years and second in a row, but the team is looking for its first MLS Cup title and first major soccer title in Los Angeles since the North American Soccer League's Aztecs won their only championship in 1974.

``This was the commitment I made when I came here, to bring the Galaxy a championship,'' Ruiz said. ``We've been in a lot of very exciting games, but I can tell you now: Put my name on it, we're going to be champions on Sunday.''

It won't be easy. The Galaxy will face the Revolution on its home turf and in a new stadium fast approaching a sellout of 60,000.

It's a big deal, but the Galaxy isn't making it a big deal.

``When you play soccer long enough, you realize that 90 percent of the time the crowd is not with you, especially for American players, because we're used to playing in hostile environments,'' Galaxy defender Danny Califf said. ``They have the advantage of sleeping in their own beds, but we have the advantage of being here before and knowing what it takes. We've got the attitude that we're not going to let this one slip away. We have that quiet confidence that this is our year.''

All week, the Galaxy has been sensitive about talking about past failures. But the seriousness of training and the attitude the team brought to Foxboro is a reflection of its desire to get this done.

``It's sort of business as usual,'' Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid said after training Saturday at Gillette Stadium. ``The result means more, but it's just another game. That's how we have to approach it.

``Each year brings a different obstacle. Last year, we won a midweek game and had to turn around and play the final that weekend. This year, we have to play in front of a hostile crowd, but when you talk about Alexi (Lalas), Simon (Elliott), Cobi (Jones) and others on this team, they're all used to playing in hostile environments.''

The Revolution might have finished the regular season 12-14-2, but it's been the hottest team, along with the Galaxy, in the stretch run, going 8-1-3, including the playoffs. The Galaxy is 13-2-1 in its past 16 games.

Both teams rely on tough defense, and both have attackers capable of quickly changing momentum with Ruiz and New England's Taylor Twellman, the MLS scoring champion.

``They (Galaxy) attack from everywhere, with Ezra (Hendrickson) on the right, Cobi Jones bouncing around, and I didn't even mention the MVP in Ruiz,'' Revolution defender Jay Heaps said. ``They come from all angles with a formidable attack. We have to be smart, play it wide, and tighten up in the back and keep it simple.''

Schmid said the match will go in the direction of the team that can best capitalize on its opportunities.

``We've got to free up our key players and make sure they get the ball at the right times on the right parts of the field, and not get countered on,'' Schmid said. ``When a team is as organized as they are defensively, a lot depends on ball movement and a lot depends on individual flare. The guys that come up with an innovative move or something special at the right times, will make the difference, and we think we have the players to do that.''

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Photo:

``Put my name on it, we're going to be champions,'' Galaxy striker and league MVP Carlos Ruiz predicted.

Steven Senne/Associated Press

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GALAXY vs. NEW ENGLAND