As Major League Soccer’s greatest players prepare to take on Spanish superpower Real Madrid in the 2017 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, 13 more stars were added today to the gameday roster. LA Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos and defender Jelle Van Damme were two of those selected, as a part of the 11 selections by All-Star and Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunović and additional two Commissioner’s Picks ahead of the MLS summer showcase at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET – live on FS1, Univision, TSN, and TVA Sports. The additions complete a standout collection of world-renowned talent, domestic stars and young up-and-comers that represent the best of MLS.
Joining the All-Star Fan XI presented by Target, head coach Paunović has constructed a dynamic and balanced roster filled with the League’s top talent, adding the following 11 players:
GOALKEEPER (1): Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC)
DEFENDERS (5): Greg Garza (Atlanta United), Hernán Grana (FC Dallas), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Johan Kappelhof (Chicago Fire), Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)
FORWARDS (1): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC)
MLS Commissioner Don Garber selected standout players Kellyn Acosta of FC Dallas and Dom Dwyer of Sporting Kansas City to complete the 24-man roster set to face the reigning La Liga and UEFA Champions League title holders.
An Olympic gold medalist with Mexico in 2012, dos Santos has numerous international accolades including two World Cup appearances (2010, 2014), three Gold Cup titles (2009, 2011, 2015) and the 2009 Gold Cup MVP. Last season, dos Santos was one of only two players league wide to register double digit goal and assist totals. Now in his third season with the Galaxy, dos Santos has six goals and one assist in 12 starts in 2017, resulting in his second consecutive MLS All-Star appearance (2016).
Van Damme makes his second consecutive appearance in the MLS All-Star Game with one goal and one assist in 15 games started for the Galaxy this season. The defender had a tremendous debut season for LA in 2016, finishing as a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors after registering four assists in 28 matches started. A member of the Belgian National Team, Van Damme has 30 career caps for his native country including appearances in FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro qualifiers.
Dos Santos and Van Damme were both named to the 2016 MLS Best XI list.
The full roster is a mix of 16 All-Star veterans as well as eight All-Star newcomers, representing 13 MLS clubs and hailing from 13 different countries, the most diverse group in All-Star history. Additionally, 20 of the 24 players named to the roster have represented their countries at the full national team level.
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 have captured 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, 28-year-old star Gareth Bale, and four-time La Liga Best Defender Sergio Ramos.
Full Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (2): Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Greg Garza (Atlanta United), Hernán Grana (FC Dallas), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Johan Kappelhof (Chicago Fire), Michael Parkhurst (Atlanta United), Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Nemanja Nikolić (Chicago Fire), David Villa (New York City FC)
LA Galaxy single game tickets for the remainder of the 2017 MLS season are also available for purchase. Galaxy fans can go to www.lagalaxy.com/ticketsor call 877.3GALAXY (342.5299) for information, purchasing, and special offers.
