Reigning league MVP and current goals leader Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC was one of 26 players named to the 2023 Major League Soccer All-Star team on Tuesday.
The All-Star Game will pit the best of the MLS against Arsenal of the English Premier League on July 19 in Washington, D.C.
Mukhtar (13 goals) is an All-Star for the second straight year and one of 12 players chosen by the combined vote of players, fans and media. That group also included U.S. men’s national team players like Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris, FC Dallas forward Jesus Ferreria and Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman.
Another 12 were selected by Wayne Rooney, head coach of host club D.C. United, who will serve as coach of the All-Star team. And two players, Chicago Fire forward Kei Kamara and CF Montreal midfielder Mathieu Choiniere, were selected by MLS commissioner Don Garber.
Kamara, 38, has 144 career MLS goals, one shy of tying Landon Donovan for second-most in league history (Chris Wondolowski is first with 173). It is only Kamara’s second career All-Star nod.
FC Cincinnati, who lead MLS with a sparkling 13-2-4 record (43 points), have a league-high three All-Stars: midfielder Luciano Acosta and defenders Alvaro Barreal and Matt Miazga.
Arsenal previously played in one MLS All-Star Game, winning 2-1 in 2016.
MLS All-Star roster by position:
GOALKEEPERS (3):
–Roman Burki (St. Louis City, voted in)
–Tyler Miller (D.C. United, coach’s selection)
–Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution, coach’s selection)
DEFENDERS (7):
–Alvaro Barreal (FC Cincinnati, voted in)
–Jon Gallagher (Austin FC, voted in)
–Ryan Hollingshead (Los Angeles FC, coach’s selection)
–Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati, voted in)
–Tim Parker (St. Louis City, coach’s selection)
–John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls, coach’s selection)
–Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC, voted in)
MIDFIELDERS (9):
–Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati, voted in)
–Thiago Almada (Atlanta United, voted in)
–Mathieu Choiniere (CF Montreal, commissioner’s selection)
–Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo, coach’s selection)
–Jose Martinez (Philadelphia Union, coach’s selection)
–Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew, voted in)
–Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC, voted in)
–Riqui Puig (Los Angeles Galaxy, coach’s selection)
–Lucas Zelarayan (Columbus Crew, coach’s selection)
FORWARDS (7):
–Christian Benteke (D.C. United, coach’s selection)
–Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC, voted in)
–Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes, coach’s selection)
–Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas, voted in)
–Giorgos Giakoumakis (Atlanta United, coach’s selection)
–Kei Kamara (Chicago Fire, commissioner’s selection)
–Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders, voted in)
–Field Level Media