SKC's Besler named to All-Star team thanks to text votes

Sporting KC's Matt Besler

Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler has been selected for the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star team as the player with the most fan votes via text.


Besler received an astounding 30 percent of all text votes submitted between June 8 and July 5 and he received nearly three times as many text votes as the next closest player.


This is his first career All-Star team selection in three years in MLS.


A former All-American out of the University of Notre Dame, Besler has featured in 16 of Sporting’s 18 MLS games this season, starting in all of them and notching a goal and an assist.


The 24-year-old Besler has been a key reason why Sporting have had one of the most imposing back lines in the league so far this season. They have not allowed multiple goals in a game since a 4-1 loss to the LA Galaxy on May 14, and have gone 4-1-6 since then, allowing just seven goals and posting six shutouts including two in US Open Cup play.

Besler played 46 minutes against the All-Stars’ 2011 opponents, Manchester United, last season when Kansas City recorded a shock 2-1 victory against the Red Devils. United also played the All-Stars last season, winning 5-2 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.