The highly anticipated 2024 MLS All-Star Game is set for July 24th in Columbus, Ohio. Featuring Lionel Messi and 29 of Major League Soccer’s Players, this year’s roster will challenge Liga MX’s top players in a thrilling rematch, marking their second encounter in three years.
In 2022, the MLS All-Stars triumphed over Liga MX with a narrow 2-1 victory in Minnesota. However, they faced a tougher challenge in 2023 when Arsenal, a Premier League heavyweight, handed them a 5-0 defeat at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Columbus now hosts the MLS All-Stars, where stars such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Riqui Puig, and Cucho Hernández will showcase their talents against Liga MX.
2024 MLS All-Star Roster
Goalkeepers
- Roman Bürki (St. Louis City SC / Coach’s Selection)
- Hugo Lloris (LAFC / Coach’s Selection)
- Maarten Paes (FC Dallas / Voted in)
Defenders
- Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
- Rudy Camacho (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
- Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake / Voted In)
- Aaron Herrera (D.C. United / Voted In)
- Thiago Martins (New York City FC / Coach’s Selection)
- Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
- Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati / Coach’s Selection)
- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati / Voted In)
- Keegan Rosenberry (Colorado Rapids / Coach’s Selection)
Midfielders
- Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati / Voted In)
- Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
- Mathieu Choinière (CF Montréal / Coach’s Selection)
- Evander (Portland Timbers / Coach’s Selection)
- Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Coach’s Selection)
- Héctor Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC / Commissioner’s Pick)
- Robin Lod (Minnesota United FC / Coach’s Selection)
- Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC / Coach’s Selection)
- Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew / Commissioner’s Pick)
- Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy / Voted In)
Forwards
- Cristian “Chicho” Arango (Real Salt Lake / Voted In)
- Christian Benteke (D.C. United / Voted In)
- Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC / Coach’s Selection)
- Denis Bouanga (LAFC / Coach’s Selection)
- Juan “Cucho” Hernández (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
- Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
- Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
A fan vote will determine the team captain at a later date. Four players from the roster will be chosen for the voting, with set as an overwhelmingly obvious favorite.
In his first full season at Inter Miami, Messi has his club at the top of the table despite only playing 12 games. Messi has scored 12 goals and dished out 13 assists in his limited action, with Inter Miami losing just once in the games he has played in this season.
Acosta is the only player to surpass Messi in assists with 16 as he played a major role in FC Cincinnati’s second-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Real Salt Lake star Cristian Arango leads all MLS scorers with 16 goals and added 11 assists. Real Salt Lake is currently third in the West standings, just three points behind LAFC and LA Galaxy.
The Columbus Crew are unsurprisingly well-represented with four players. Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernández, Diego Rossi, and Rudy Camacho got the nod from Nancy, their regular season coach, while Garber picked midfielder Darlington Nagbe.
Columbus is currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference despite only playing 18 games, and their goal differential is second only to Miami in the conference.
The MLS All-Stars won their previous two matches against Liga MX in 2021 and 2022. They lost 5-0 to Arsenal last year.
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