A confirmed group of 26 players has been selected for the MLS All-Stars match against Arsenal in a pre-season friendly this summer. It will be the first outing for Mikel Arteta on their tour of America next month after they start out against FC Nurnberg on July 13.
The game is set to be played at DC United's Audi Field on July 19 and is one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on the calendar for USA audiences. With Wayne Rooney selected as coach, it is a chance for the Gunners to kick-start their preparations ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Now, with the game less than four weeks away, the All-Star squad has been announced with some familiar faces. The selection process allows for 12 players to be voted in by fans, media and players whilst Rooney himself picks 12 as well.
MLS commissioner Don Garber then gets an additional two names he can choose. In the full list there are 18 teams with selected players and just seven with more than one player picked.
The full squad includes some names Premier League fans will be acquainted with as former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke gets the nod, selected by Rooney himself. With eight goals and three assists for Rooney's DC United side, he was a clear pick.
Elsewhere there was no room for Lionel Messi, whose arrival in America comes too late for a selection after he was announced as having agreed to join Inter Miami. The World Cup winner and modern footballing great turned down a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia after chances to return to Barcelona stalled.
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The 35-year-old won't be pitching up against Arteta and his men, instead LAFC's Denis Bouanga was selected in the fan vote having scored 11 and assisted two. The attacking options also consist of FC Dallas' Jesus Ferreira, Atalanta United's Giorgos Giakoumakis, Kei Kamara of Chicago Fire and Jordan Morris from Seattle Sounders.
For Arsenal, they will be hoping to add new players to their own squad before the game with key transfers being pursued in the summer market. One major question they have is what to do with USMNT star Folarin Balogun. The 21-year-old striker made his debut for the senior national side last month, scoring his first goal. He will now have the chance to show his quality at club level next and may well feature in this game.
The focus for now is on the MLS announcement.
The full squad is:
Goalkeepers:
Djordje Petrovic (Coach's pick) - New England Revolution
Tyler Miller (Coach's pick) - DC United
Roman Burki (Voted in) - St Louis City
Defenders:
Walker Zimmerman (Voted in) - Nashville SC
John Tolkin (Coach's pick) - New York Red Bulls
Tim Parker (Coach's pick) - St Louis City
Matt Miazga (Voted in) - FC Cincinnati
Ryan Hollingshead (Coach's pick) - LAFC
Jon Gallagher (Voted in) - Austin FC
Alvaro Barreal (Voted in) - FC Cincinnati
Midfielders:
Lucas Zelarayan (Coach's pick) - Columbus Crew
Riqui Puig (Coach's pick) - LA Galaxy
Hany Mukhtar (Voted in) - Nashville SC
Aidan Morris (Voted in) - Columbus Crew
Jose Martinez (Coach's pick) - Philadelphia Union
Hector Herrera (Coach's pick) - Houston Dynamo
Mathieu Choiniere (Commissioner's pick) - CF Montreal
Thiago Almada (Voted in) - Atlanta United
Luciano Acosta (Voted in) - FC Cincinnati
Attackers:
Jordan Morris (Voted in) - Seattle Sounders
Kei Kamara (Commissioner's pick) - Chicago Fire
Giorgos Giakoumakis (Coach's pick) - Atlanta United
Jesús Ferreira (Voted in) - FC Dallas
Cristian Espinoza (Coach;s pick) - San Jose Earthquakes
Dénis Bouanga (Voted in) - LAFC
Christian Benteke (Coach's pick) - DC United
