Thursday , March 28 2024

World Cup Champions headline 2017 MLS All-Star Fan XI!

An accomplished array of world-renowned talent, including U.S. National Team standouts and a trio of FIFA World Cup Champions, make up the impressive 2017 MLS All-Star Fan XI presented by Target. The entire MLS All-Star Team will take on Spanish giants Real Madrid in the 2017 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET, live on FS1, UniMás, TSN, and TVA Sports.

Led by some of the world’s most accomplished and decorated players, the Fan XI includes FIFA World Cup Champions in Brazilian icon Kaká (Orlando City SC), German standout Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), and Spain’s all-time leading scorer and reigning MLS Most Valuable Player, David Villa (New York City FC). Along with Toronto FC star Sebastian Giovinco, the EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge winner, these international players account for an impressive three FIFA World Cup titles, three UEFA Champions League titles, three Club World Cup titles, two Confederations Cup titles, one UEFA Euro title, and 15 European league titles (Bundesliga, 8; La Liga, 4; Serie A, 3).

The U.S. Men’s National Team has strong representation on the Fan XI with World Cup heroes in goalkeeper Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), defender DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo) and defender Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) forming the core of the defense. Joining them is U.S. captain and midfielder Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) and U.S. defender Greg Garza (Atlanta United). Collectively, the group has starred for the United States in each of last four World Cups, including four representatives in 2014, three in 2010, two in 2006 and one in 2002.

In addition to Schweinsteiger and Garza, Chicago Fire forward and league-leading goalscorer Nemanja Nikolic and Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almirón are among a quartet of MLS newcomers voted to the Fan XI. Nikolic has torched defenses all season, ranking first in the Golden Boot race with 16 goals in 19 starts for Eastern Conference-leading Chicago. Almirón, meanwhile, has paced the league’s most dangerous offense for expansion club Atlanta, with eight goals and eight assists on the season, his 16 combined tallies fourth-most in MLS.

While 10 of the 11 players on the Fan XI are determined by fan voting online at MLSsoccer.com and through the MLS app, the 11th player is determined through the EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge. In a closely contested tournament, Giovinco, the 2015 Landon Donovan MLS MVP, took the top prize as fans scored more than 1.1 million goals for the Toronto FC star in EA SPORTS FIFA 17. Other players who finished in the top five of the ‘More Than a Vote’ Challenge were Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Nemanja Nikolic (Chicago Fire), and David Villa (New York City FC).

The 2017 MLS All-Star gameday roster, consisting of 24 players, will be announced in mid-July and will include the 2017 MLS All-Star Fan XI presented by Target, two Commissioner’s Picks, and 11 players selected by All-Star Head Coach Veljko Paunovic, whose Chicago Fire have the most points in MLS.

The 2017 MLS All-Stars will face off against Real Madrid, the reigning La Liga and UEFA Champions League title holders. One of the most successful clubs in the world, Real Madrid have claimed a record 33 La Liga championships and 12 UEFA Champions League titles, as well as capturing the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup on multiple occasions. Under the direction of the legendary Zinedine Zidane, the club is home to international superstars such as four-time Ballon d’Or recipient Cristiano Ronaldo, 27-year-old star Gareth Bale, and four-time La Liga Best Defender Sergio Ramos.

The best way to guarantee your ticket to the 2017 MLS All-Star Game against Real Madrid is to contact the Chicago Fire at 888-MLS-Fire or tickets@chicago-fire.com. For the ultimate fan experience visit MLSsoccer.com/allstar for VIP ticket package details.

2017 MLS All-Star Fan XI presented by Target

Goalkeeper: Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)

Defenders: Greg Garza (Atlanta United), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo)

Midfielders: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC)

Forwards: David Villa (New York City FC), Nemanja Nikolic (Chicago Fire), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC – EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge)

About Arunava Chaudhuri

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