Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
The U.S. Men’s National Team will be well represented in the 2014 All-Star Game against Bayern Munich in Portland, Ore.
Major League Soccer announced the results of the Fan XI on Wednesday evening, and the side features no less than eight members of the USMNT at the World Cup. The Fan XI includes USMNT captain Clint Dempsey and his Seattle Sounders teammate DeAndre Yedlin, Sporting KC pair Matt Besler and Graham Zusi, and forwards Thierry Henry, Obafemi Martins and Landon Donovan.
The players on the Fan XI accrued the most votes from the fans over two platforms, online through MLSSoccer.com and on Twitter.
Martins earned his place in the Fan XI through the “More than a vote” challenge, which saw fans score more than one million goals while playing as Martins on the FIFA 14 video game.
Players voted to the MLS Fan XI are not locks to be on the game roster. Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter will select the roster based on availability and tactical considerations, but every member of the Fan XI is considered an All Star, for CBA purposes.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber will also make two picks to the game-day roster of 20 players.
Players who finished just outside the Fan XI include: Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Júlio César (Toronto FC), Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC) and Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City).
The MLS All Stars will take on German champions Bayern Munich on Aug. 6 from Providence Park in Portland, Ore.
Here’s a look at the 2014 All Star Game Fan XI:
GOALKEEPER: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC – AT&T/EA SPORTS “More than a Vote” Challenge winner)
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What do you think of this year’s Fan XI? Surprised that Defoe wasn’t voted in? Think that the eight USMNT players could start the All Star game?
Share your thoughts below.
Keane deserves A starting spot over LD.
Cubo deserves 2 be there. As much as I hate his stupid Mr. Roboto dance. He still deserves a place.
Landon Donovan is a great player, but he has not played better than Defoe. It hasn’t been an all star year for Donovan.
I look forward to seeing julian Green play for Bayern! he was just listed on their official first team roster yesterday and I would be shocked if he doesn’t see the field in his home country, Bayern is trying to establish US roots and trotting out the World cup goal-scoring American against his teammates will boost US interest ten-fold. Secondly, it could be a great chance for Julian to show he deserves significant minutes.
Considering how many USMNT players are on this starting XI and how recently they all played together, this MLS All Star team may be able to play with greater cohesion than we are used to seeing from an All Star team. They may actually pretty well.
I’m not sure how many of the first team will be making the week-long trip after the month they just had.
Are we just going to ignore Deuce’s derp face in that picture? Looks like he’s holding a fire ball and wants to lick it.
Am I wrong or are there only 3 defenders?
Back three for the all star game. Woooo!
The Left Back selection is going to get torched.
Shoot, forget the All-Star game…
That picture is AMAZING!!!!
Is Deuce so bad-xxx, that he can conjure fire in the palm of his hands after a goal???
Of course he can.
Ives: This picture has the best potential for You Write The Caption since forever. Give out some swag from Brasil. Bring it back!
+1000 I am having pajamas made out of this, and hopefully will be buried in them some day.
Cubo. Please, have mercy Don. let him play.
I second this. Cubo needs to play.
Cubo is excellent. Plus, he has the potential to be as fat as me one day.
+1 🙂
COME ON LANDON
HAT TRICK TIME AGAIST BEARYN SHOW KLINS WHAT HE MISSED
a hat trick would equal his tally for the whole year.
Collin from Kansas should have been on the list.
No, Chad Marshall should have been in over Gonzalez but it is a popularity contest so Gonzalez got the nod
Marshall is the best value in MLS
And
He should win defender of the year….again.
That’s a pretty dang good 11 right there.
Yeah, it is a pretty solid squad. Considering Munich is practically all German national team players and MLS all stars is practically all USMNT players, we are pretty much seeing the group stage game again. We didn’t even have to set a friendly date.
I’d take Keane over Martins. Donovan and Henry would spend all game getting in each other’s way. They’re too similar.
Who would play leftback? I guess you could toss Zusi at RB and move Yedlin to left.
“Who would play leftback? I guess you could toss Zusi at RB and move Yedlin to left.”
Neither. This is not the starting 11, just the 11 most popular players that the fans picked. Porter and Garber will round out the actual game day squad which, i’m sure will include an actual RB and LB