Commentary

Wiebe: My 2018 MLS All-Star XI ... and five others for fun

Zack Steffen - Makes Save - Closeup

Every year, I wait until the very last minute to submit my MLS All-Star media ballot. Better to see every minute, play, goal or blunder possible before hitting send â€“ why rush it?


But there’s absolutely no reason not to stuff the ballot box when it comes to the 2018 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target. Vote early and often (once a day, if you feel the need) in the all-new official MLS app. Vote for whoever you want, for whatever reason you want. Vote so you can win a VIP trip to the game in Atlanta. Vote so Atlanta United fans can’t turn the All-Star XI into a Five Stripes XI.


For the purposes of my Fan XI, we’re sticking with the 3-4-3 formation per the ballot. No, I probably wouldn’t play Juventus in a 3-4-3; it’s just a ballot. And this is how it stands right now, on June 1. This can – and will – change.


Wiebe's 2018 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target


Forwards

  • Bradley Wright-Phillips (RBNY)
  • Alberth Elis (HOU)
  • Carlos Vela (LAFC)


Midfielders

  • Kaku (RBNY)
  • Miguel Almiron (ATL)
  • Ignacio Piatti (MTL)
  • Diego Chara (POR)


Defenders

  • Harrison Afful (CLB)
  • Aaron Long (RBNY)
  • Julian Gressel (ATL)


Feel free to swap Tim Parker in here if you’d like. I just think Long and his mullet need more love.


Goalkeeper

  • Matt Turner (NE)


Because it’s Friday, here are some alternative XIs, with no positional restrictions. I shuffled goalkeepers to share the wealth. And no, not all these names are on the 184-man Fan XI ballot. This is just for fun, no rules allowed.


Feel free to share your own in the comment section, hit me up on Twitter @andrew_wiebe or just yell into the void.


Pure Entertainment XI

Forwards

  • Alberth Elis (HOU)
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA)


Midfielders

  • Miguel Almiron (ATL)
  • Kaku (RBNY)
  • Johnny Russell (SKC)
  • Ilsinho (PHI)
  • Tyler Adams (RBNY)


Defenders

  • Laurent Ciman (LAFC)
  • Francisco Calvo (MIN)
  • Mohamed El-Munir (ORL)


Goalkeeper

  • Zack Steffen (CLB)


Bench

  • Alan Gordon (CHI)


He's not on the ballot, but it had to be done.


All-Domestic XI


Americans and Canadians only.


Forwards

  • Gyasi Zardes (CLB)
  • Teal Bunbury (NE)
  • Dom Dwyer (ORL)


Midfielders

  • Miguel Ibarra (MIN)
  • Alphonso Davies (VAN)
  • Jonathan Osorio (TOR), Darlington Nagbe (ATL)
  • Tyler Adams (RBNY)


Concacaf Champions League or MLS? Up to you.


Defenders

  • Ike Opara (SKC)
  • Tim Parker/Aaron Long (RBNY)
  • Graham Zusi (SKC)


You can’t make me pick just one. They are a package deal.


Goalkeeper

  • Matt Turner (NE)


All-#PlayTheKids XI


They’re just getting started (21 or younger) but they’re already ballers.


Forwards

  • Chris Mueller (ORL)
  • Diego Rossi (LAFC)


Midfielders

  • Daniel Salloi (SKC)
  • Alphonso Davies (VAN)
  • Tyler Adams (RBNY)
  • Yangel Herrera (NYC)


Killed me to leave off Chris Durkin (DC), but the Venezuelan is just too good.


Defenders

  • Milton Valenzuela (CLB)
  • Auston Trusty (PHI)
  • Justen Glad (RSL)
  • Reggie Cannon (DAL)


Goalkeeper

  • Zack Steffen (CLB)


Steffen is 23, so I’m stretching a little to fill out the team, but he’s the
youngest
second youngest starter in MLS and goalkeepers are just different.

All-Veteran XI


In the real world, the big 3-0 isn’t that old. I’m 31, so for vanity reasons the cutoff is 32.


Forwards

  • Bradley Wright-Phillips (RBNY)
  • David Villa (NYC)
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA)


Midfielders

  • Ignacio Piatti (MTL)
  • Federico Higuain (CLB)
  • Bastian Schweinsteiger (CHI)
  • Diego Chara (POR)


Defenders

  • DaMarcus Beasley (HOU)
  • Reto Ziegler (DAL)
  • Michael Parkhurst (ATL)


Goalkeeper

  • Tim Melia (SKC)


Newcomer XI

You got it.


Forwards

  • Carlos Vela (LAFC)
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA)
  • Cristian Penilla (NE)


Midfielders

  • Kaku (RBNY)
  • Johnny Russell (SKC)
  • Borek Dockal (PHI)
  • Saphir Taider (MTL)


Defenders

  • Milton Valenzuela (CLB)
  • Reto Ziegler (DAL)
  • Anton Tinnerholm (NYC)


Goalkeeper

  • Jimmy Maurer (DAL)