Messi and Miami teammates headline MLS roster for All-Star Game
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is joined by teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez on the 30-player lineup announced on Monday for the MLS All-Star Game.
The league's top talents will face the Mexican League All-Stars on July 24 at Columbus, Ohio.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, a 37-year-old forward who sparked Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup, scored 12 goals and added 13 assists in his first 12 matches this season for MLS overall leader Miami.
Together with striker Suarez, midfielder Busquets and left back Alba, Inter Miami has a league-best 13-3 with five drawn record and 44 points over 21 matches.
The roster was selected through a combination of fan, media and player voting as well as designations by All-Star coach Wilfried Nancy of the host Columbus Crew, the reigning MLS champions.
The MLS lineup also includes 2023 MLS Most Valuable Player Luciano Acosta, a midfielder for FC Cincinnati, 2023 scoring champion Denis Bouanga, a striker for Los Angeles FC, Real Salt Lake forward Chicho Arango, forwards Diego Rossi and Juan Hernandez of Columbus and fellow front-liners Christian Benteke of DC United and Federico Bernardeschi of Toronto.
Full MLS All-Star roster
Goalkeepers: Roman Burki (St. Louis CITY SC / Coach's Selection), Hugo Lloris (LAFC / Coach's Selection), Maarten Paes (FC Dallas / Voted in)
Defenders: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF / Voted In), Rudy Camacho (Columbus Crew / Coach's Selection), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake / Voted In), Aaron Herrera (D.C. United / Voted In), Thiago Martins (New York City FC / Coach's Selection), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew / Coach's Selection), Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati / Coach's Selection), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Keegan Rosenberry (Colorado Rapids / Coach's Selection)
Midfielders: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF / Voted In), Mathieu Choiniere (CF Montreal / Coach's Selection), Evander (Portland Timbers / Coach's Selection), Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Coach's Selection), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC / Commissioner's Pick), Robin Lod (Minnesota United FC / Coach's Selection), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC / Coach's Selection), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew / Commissioner's Pick), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy / Voted In)
Forwards: Cristian Arango (Real Salt Lake / Voted In), Christian Benteke (D.C. United / Voted In), Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC / Coach's Selection), Denis Bouanga (LAFC / Coach's Selection), Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew / Coach's Selection), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF / Voted In), Luis Suarez (Inter Miami CF / Voted In), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew / Coach's Selection)