2023 MLS All-Star Team Roster

JULY 7 UPDATE: New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil and Philadelphia Union center back Jakob Glesnes were added as coach’s picks.

Twenty-eight players will represent Major League Soccer against English Premier League side Arsenal for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, held July 19 at D.C. United’s Audi Field.

The roster was selected through the following voting mechanisms:

• 12 players determined by a combined vote of fan, media and players
• 14 players selected by MLS All-Star head coach Wayne Rooney of the host team, D.C. United
• 2 players selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber

Learn more

FORWARDS/WINGERS

Christian Benteke has been commanding at forward for Wayne Rooney and D.C. United in 2023, leading the team in goals scored with eight while also assisting three more. The Belgian international has played an integral part in the club’s strong first half of the season, bringing experience from his time in the Premier League with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

Dénis Bouanga has been the driving force in attack for Western Conference power LAFC, posting 11 goals and two assists across 16 games. His 11 goals are the second-most in MLS in 2023; he has left his mark internationally as well, earning 2023 Concacaf Champions League Golden Boot honors after scoring seven times during LAFC’s run to the final.

Cristian Espinoza has been a key factor in San Jose’s strong start to the season, recording a career-high eight goals and adding six assists in 20 games for the club. The Argentine winger earns his first trip to the All-Star Game after five seasons with the Earthquakes.

Jesús Ferreira's 10 goals in 2023 are tied for the third-most in the league. The US international forward won MLS Young Player of the Year and Best XI presented by Continental Tire honors in 2022 following a breakout campaign in which he tied the FC Dallas record with 18 goals.

Giorgos Giakoumakis has been a force in attack for Atlanta United since arriving in the winter, recording 10 goals and an assist in 15 games. He became the second player in MLS history to reach 10 career goals in under 800 minutes of regular-season play.

One of the most prolific goalscorers in MLS history, Kei Kamara ranks third in MLS scoring with 144 goals, just one behind Landon Donovan (145 goals). In his first year with Chicago Fire FC, Kamara leads the club with five goals in 16 games and he became the only player in league history to play for 10 different teams during his career.

Jordan Morris returns to the All-Star Game for the second time in as many years thanks to a 2023 campaign that has seen him score nine goals and assist one more. A member of the USMNT during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Morris has been a staple in Seattle Sounders FC’s lineup since his debut season in 2016.

MIDFIELDERS

One of the most dynamic playmakers in MLS, Luciano Acosta earned his second consecutive All-Star nod after recording 13 goal contributions (nine goals, four assists) for league-leading FC Cincinnati. A seven-year MLS veteran, the Argentine is one of just five players with at least 100 goal contributions since the start of the 2016 season.

The only active MLS player to win a FIFA World Cup title, Thiago Almada makes his All-Star debut after a sensational first half of the season with Atlanta United. The 22-year-old Argentine midfielder leads MLS with nine assists, is tied for second in goal contributions (16) and is tied for third with 42 key passes.

Mathieu Choinière leads CF Montréal with a career-best five goal contributions (two goals, three assists) in his sixth season with the club. The Canadian international and homegrown midfielder has appeared in more than 90 CFM games and helped the club secure Canadian Championship titles in 2019 and 2021.

Carles Gil, the 2021 Landon Donovan MLS MVP, has been a driver for the Revolution by registering seven goals and nine assists across 19 matches. The midfielder is tied for third in the league with 16 goal contributions and has been an instrumental force in New England’s strong start to the season, with the club currently sitting in third place in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Héctor Herrera has helped lead Houston Dynamo FC to a resurgence on both sides of the pitch in 2023, contributing three goals and seven assists across 17 games. The former captain of Mexico's national team has enjoyed an exceptional career, highlighted by prior stops at Spain's Atlético de Madrid and Porto FC in Portugal.

José Martínez is regarded as one of MLS's premier defensive midfielders. The Venezuelan international has started 13 games for the Philadelphia Union in 2023, recording a goal and three assists.

Aidan Morris has started all 18 games in which he has appeared for Columbus Crew this season, scoring three goals and assisting three more in what has been a breakout season for the homegrown. The 21-year-old midfielder is also a rising US international.

Hany Mukhtar, the reigning 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP and Golden Boot presented by Audi winner, earns his second All-Star selection in as many years after leading the league in goals (13) and goal contributions (20). Since the start of the 2021 season, Mukhtar leads MLS with 82 goal contributions; he is also one of only four players in MLS history with at least 50 goals and 30 assists over a three-year span.

In his first full MLS season, Riqui Puig has appeared in 17 games for the LA Galaxy while recording a goal and three assists. Puig arrived in Los Angeles last summer after making 57 appearances across all competitions with FC Barcelona from 2018-22.

Making his second All-Star appearance (2021), Lucas Zelarayán has been a force up front for the Columbus Crew by leading their attack with eight goals and seven assists in 16 matches this season. The Armenian international ranks fifth in MLS with 15 goal contributions this year.

DEFENDERS

Álvaro Barreal makes his All-Star debut after starting 19 matches and recording two goals and five assists for Supporters’ Shield-leading FC Cincinnati. The 22-year-old left back originally came to MLS as a winger, but has changed positions in FCC's five-man backline.

Jon Gallagher is enjoying a career season with Austin FC in 2023, recording a career-high five goals and adding three assists. The right back's strong play was rewarded with a new contract following the 2022 season that will keep him in Austin through the 2026 season.

Jakob Glesnes, earning his second consecutive All-Star selection, has started every game for the Union in 2023 and has the longest active ironman streak in MLS, making 93 consecutive starts for the club. The 2022 MLS Defender of the Year has helped guide a Philadelphia defense that has allowed just 22 goals in 2023, the fourth fewest in the Eastern Conference.

An MLS staple, Ryan Hollingshead earns his first-ever All-Star selection after recording one goal and one assist through 17 games in 2023 for LAFC. The 32-year-old fullback helped LAFC bring home MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield titles in 2022.

Matt Miazga is one of the defensive anchors of Supporters’ Shield-leading FC Cincinnati, a club that has allowed the fourth-fewest goals in MLS (19). The US international center back returned to MLS last summer after spending time at English Premier League club Chelsea FC and on various loans across Europe.

Tim Parker earns his first career All-Star nod after leading St. Louis CITY SC to a remarkable start, starting all 17 games he’s appeared in. One of the more experienced players on MLS's newest expansion club, the center back has played over 230 games during his career.

John Tolkin has appeared in 15 games for the New York Red Bulls this season, recording a career-high four assists. The US international left back is a shining example of an MLS homegrown player, coming up through the Red Bulls’ academy before reaching their first team.

Walker Zimmerman has helped lead Nashville SC to a league-low 16 goals allowed in 2023. The US international center back has won two MLS Defensive Player of the Year Awards (2020, '21) and has earned MLS Best XI honors in four straight seasons (2019-22), in addition to starting three games for the USMNT at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

GOALKEEPERS

Roman Bürki, the first-ever captain of St. Louis CITY SC, leads MLS with 76 saves and is one of four goalkeepers with at least 60 saves and a 75+ percent save percentage. The 32-year-old Swiss international signed with the expansion club in July 2022 after spending seven seasons with German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

Tyler Miller has recorded six clean sheets and 51 saves during his first season with D.C. United. The veteran goalkeeper has appeared in more than 150 MLS games across eight seasons since entering the league in 2016.

Djordje Petrović has picked up where he left off last season for the New England Revolution, ranking second in MLS in saves (75) and tying for fifth in the league with six clean sheets. Lights out on penalty kicks, the Serbian international was a finalist for the 2022 MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Coach

By club

Atlanta United

• Thiago Almada
• Giorgos Giakoumakis

Austin FC

• Jon Gallagher

Chicago Fire FC

• Kei Kamara

FC Cincinnati

• Luciano Acosta
• Álvaro Barreal
• Matt Miazga

Columbus Crew

• Aidan Morris
• Lucas Zelarayán

D.C. United

• Christian Benteke
• Tyler Miller

FC Dallas

• Jesús Ferreira

Houston Dynamo FC

• Héctor Herrera

LA Galaxy

• Riqui Puig

LAFC

• Dénis Bouanga
• Ryan Hollingshead

CF Montréal

• Mathieu Choinière

Nashville SC

• Hany Mukhtar
• Walker Zimmerman

New England Revolution

• Carles Gil
• Djordje Petrovic

New York Red Bulls

• John Tolkin

Philadelphia Union

• Jakob Glesnes
• José Martínez

San Jose Earthquakes

• Cristian Espinoza

Seattle Sounders FC

• Jordan Morris

St. Louis CITY SC

• Roman Bürki
• Tim Parker