Reigning league MVP Hany Mukhtar and teammate Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman, LAFC leading scorer Dénis Bouanga and newcomer Giorgos Giakoumakis highlight the 26-man Major League Soccer All-Star roster.
The MLS All-Stars announced Tuesday will face Premier League powerhouse Arsenal on July 26 in Washington.
The 26-player roster consists of 12 players voted on in-game by a combination of fans, players and media, 12 selected by D.C. United and All-Star head coach Wayne Rooney and two commissioners’ picks.
FC Cincinnati, which currently leads the Supporters’ Shield standings with 43 points, has the most picks of any club with three: midfielder Luciano Acosta and defensemen Alvaro Barreal and Matt Miazga.
A total of 17 different clubs will be represented in the All-Star Game and 19 of the 26 players are first-time selections.
After winning his first MVP award last season, Mukhtar leads the league with 13 goals in 20 games played for Nashville. He will be joined by Zimmerman, who was selected to the All-Star team for the fourth time in his career.
Not far behind in the race for the league’s top scorer is Bouanga, who has resumed his scoring in his second season with LAFC with 11 goals in 16 games. LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead was also selected for the squad.
Giakoumakis has scored 10 times in his first season with Atlanta United and will be joined by teammate Thiago Almada, who is tied for the league lead in assists with nine.
Other teams with two players at stake are Colón (midfielders Aidan Morris and Lucas Zelarayán); DC United (goalie Tyler Miller and forward Christian Benteke); and expansion club St. Louis CITY (goalkeeper Roman Bürki and defender Tim Parker).
Chicago’s Kei Kamara and CF Montreal’s Mathieu Choinière were added as MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s picks. Kamara is one goal away from tying Landon Donovan for second in MLS history.
MLS 2023 All-Star Game Roster
Goalkeepers: Roman Bürki (St. Louis CITY/voted in), Tyler Miller (DC United/manager’s choice), Djordje Petrović (New England Revolution/manager’s choice).
Defenders: Álvaro Barreal (FC Cincinnati/voted), Jon Gallagher (Austin FC/voted), Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC/coach’s choice), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati/voted), Tim Parker (St. Louis CITY/voted) selection ), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls/coach’s choice), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville/voted).
Midfielders: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati/Voted), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United/Voted), Mathieu Choinière (CF Montréal/Commissioner’s Choice), Héctor Herrera (Houston Dynamo/Manager’s Choice), José Martinez (Philadelphia Union/ manager) ), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew/vote in), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville/vote in), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy/manager’s choice), Lucas Zelarayán (Columbus Crew/manager’s choice).
Forwards: Christian Benteke (DC United/Manager’s Choice), Dénis Bouanga (LAFC/Voted), Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes/Manager’s Choice), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas/Voted), Giorgos Giakoumakis (Atlanta United/Manager’s Choice) coach) ), Kei Kamara (Chicago Fire/commissioner’s pick), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders/voted yes).
Associated Press report.
MLS
Walker Zimmerman
Hany Mukhtar
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