A group of long-time MLS standouts was named to the MLS All-Star team on Tuesday, as the complete 18-man roster was rounded out for the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game against Celtic FC, to be played at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on July 19 (9 p.m. ET; ESPN2, TeleFutura).
In addition to the MLS First XI named last week, New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol made five selections to the team, while MLS commissioner Don Garber made two. Named as the the Commissioner's Picks were Eddie Pope and Cobi Jones, while Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Ronnie O'Brien, Kevin Hartman and Pablo Mastroeni were chosen by Nicol.
Both Pope and Jones, who play for Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy, respectively, are in their final seasons in MLS, having each announced his retirement following the conclusion of this season.
Pope is known for his stellar, relentless defense and is considered one of the best central defenders ever produced in the U.S. This is his record 11th selection to the MLS All-Star Game. A veteran of three FIFA World Cups and a three-time MLS Cup winner, Pope was also named to the All-Time MLS Best XI following the league's 10th season in 2005.
While Pope is known as the stalwart in the back, Jones is known for the excitement he brings to the attack. Jones is the only player in MLS history to play with the same club for each of the league's first 11 seasons and was an All-Star in each of the league's first eight seasons. He is also the all-time leader in caps with the U.S. national team with 164 from 1992-2004.
Jones will be joined on the All-Star team by Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan, who has four goals and six assists in nine games played for the Galaxy this season. He also led the U.S. national team to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title, scoring four goals, and now has 34 career goals in 94 appearances for the USA, tied atop that list with Eric Wynalda. Donovan was named to the MLS All-Star team for the seventh consecutive season.
Joining Donovan and Jones in the front will be Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching. It will be his third All-Star Game, having started last year's game against Chelsea FC, and he as scored four goals in 12 games this season for Dynamo. Ching was the MVP of last year's MLS Cup Final in which Dynamo defeated the Revolution on penalty kicks.
Also named as a coach's selection was Ronnie O'Brien of Toronto FC, who will be playing in his fourth MLS All-Star Game. The native of Ireland helped set up Dwayne De Rosario's goal last year that led the MLS All-Stars to the 1-0 victory against Chelsea.
Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was picked for the squad in his first season with the Kansas City Wizards, after 10 seasons with the Galaxy. The league's all-time leader in wins and shutouts, it's Hartman's fifth selection to the MLS All-Star team; he's played in two previous games, in 2003 and 2004.
Rounding out the All-Star roster will be home favorite Pablo Mastroeni of the Colorado Rapids. Selected for the eighth time to the MLS All-Star team, he has played in the league's midsummer showcase on three previous occasions, last in 2002.
Given the competitive nature of the match, the First XI is not necessarily the group that will start the match. Nicol, who won the honor of leading the MLS All-Stars by leading the Revolution to the highest points per game average in MLS through games played on June 25, will choose the formation and lineup on the day of the game.
Ben Masur is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
