Major League Soccer announced Tuesday that the 2008 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco, will replace the 2006 MLS All-Star MVP, Dwayne De Rosario in the All-Star First XI. De Rosario is unavailable for the All-Star Game due to his club's participation in the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto FC face the Puerto Rico Islanders in the preliminary round of the tournament on Wednesday, July 29, the same day as the MLS All-Star Game. The 2009 MLS All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium - home of Real Salt Lake - in Sandy, Utah when the MLS All-Stars play Everton FC of the English Premier League. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 and Galavision at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Blanco, who received the next highest voting percentage in the midfield, will join teammate Wilman Conde giving the Fire two representatives on the All-Star team. Seattle Sounders FC, the Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo and the Fire each have two players on the roster.
This is Blanco's second consecutive All-Star Game selection. He starred in the 2008 All-Star Game in Toronto, scoring a brilliant goal and providing an assist on a Christian Gomez goal in the MLS All-Stars 3-2 victory over West Ham United.
On Monday, July 20, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff's selections will be announced. Two Commissioner's selections will complete the 18-man game-day roster. Kinnear earned the honor of coaching the MLS side by leading his team to the highest points per game average in the League through games on June 28.
The First XI is not necessarily the starting lineup. Kinnear will select the starters based on player availability and tactical considerations. If First XI selections are unavailable due to injury, international duty or other commitments, Kinnear will select alternates for the game day roster, but all First XI players are All-Stars. The inactive, or alternate All-Star roster, will be announced at a later date.
