Only five days remain to vote online for the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, and after seeing some of the league's best players in the World Cup, the fans are itching to see more in Portland next month.
There's a strong World Cup feel to the list of players leading the way in the online fan vote, with US and international stars alike capturing the soccer world's eye with their performances in Brazil.
Topping the list in their respective positions are three USMNT players from the 2014 World Cup squad: Nick Rimando (goalkeeper), Matt Besler (defender), and Clint Dempsey (midfielder), while three-time World Cup veteran Landon Donovan leads all forwards. Out of the top five vote-getters for each field position, 14 of the 15 players have been on a World Cup roster (sorry, Aurelien Collin), while the top two goalkeepers can say the same.
Voting for the game, which features MLS All-Stars against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Aug. 6 (9:30 pm ET, ESPN2, UniMas, TSN/RDS) at Portland’s Providence Park, wraps up at 3 pm ET on July 11. Fans can vote for 11 players from a ballot of 152 players nominated by media members – the All-Star Fan XI – who will then be made available for head coach Caleb Porter.
In addition, a forward will also be determined by fans through the AT&T/EA SPORTS™ “More than a Vote” Challenge. The MLS forward with the most goals scored in the EA SPORTS FIFA 14 game will join the All-Star Fan XI, which will be revealed on July 16.
Porter, whose full-time job is head coach of the Portland Timbers, will ultimately select the gameday roster and the starting lineup from the list of players made available to him as determined by media, fans, players and two picks made by MLS commissioner Don Garber that will be announced later this month.
A total of 32 All-Stars are named each year – four goalkeepers, eight defenders, 13 midfielders, seven forwards – per the MLS-MLSPU Collective Bargaining Agreement and the full list of inactive players – those not selected to the gameday roster – will be revealed on August 6 on MLSsoccer.com.
Here are the top vote-getters in each category:
GOALKEEPERS (5)
1. Nick Rimando (RSL)
2. Julio Cesar (TOR)
3. Eric Kronberg (SKC)
4. Donovan Ricketts (POR)
5. Jon Busch (SJ)
DEFENDERS (7)
1. Matt Besler (SKC)
2. Steven Beitashour (VAN)
3. DeAndre Yedlin (SEA)
4. Aurelien Collin (SKC)
5. Omar Gonzalez (LA)
6. Seth Sinovic (SKC)
7. Chad Marshall (SEA)
MIDFIELDERS (7)
1. Clint Dempsey (SEA)
2. Michael Bradley (TOR)
3. Graham Zusi (SKC)
4. Kyle Beckerman (RSL)
5. Benny Feilhaber (SKC)
6. Tim Cahill (NY)
7. Will Johnson (POR)
FORWARDS (7)
1. Landon Donovan (LA)
2. Thierry Henry (NY)
3. Jermain Defoe (TOR)
4. Chris Wondolowski (SJ)
5. Robbie Keane (LA)
6. Dom Dwyer (SKC)
7. Obafemi Martins (SEA)
