The 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will pit the best of Major League Soccer against English Premier League giants Arsenal. The English club, participating in the MLS All-Star Game for the first time, will face off against the All-Stars at the home of the San Jose Earthquakes, Avaya Stadium, which opened in 2015.
D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum has been selected to the 2016 MLS All-Star roster that will represent the league against the Gunners tonight. In 2016, the central defender has made 14 appearances (playing all 90 minutes in each) and leads the team in Aerial Duels. A member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, Birnbaum featured in World Cup Qualifiers and Copa America Centenario throughout the first half the MLS season. The six-foot-one defender is one of 16 players named to the All-Star roster for the first time. "[I'm] excited," Birnbaum said. "It’s fun to be a part of [All-Star Week]; there are such great guys out there. I'm just happy and grateful that I’m a part of the team.”
Since making his USMNT debut on January 28, 2015, Birnbaum has made seven international appearances. The California native scored his first international goal several days after his debut, a 90th-minute game-winner on January 31, 2016, against Iceland. Selected by the Black-and-Red as the second overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, Birnbaum has been an imposing presence in the United backline; he was named a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2014, has made 57 career appearances and scored two goals.
Birnbaum will now test his prowess against the North London side, which surged to a second-place finish in the Premier League last season, who will certainly be in the reckoning for silverware again in 2016-17, between the league, the UEFA Champions League, where Arsenal routinely reach the knockout rounds, and the domestic cups, including the FA Cup, which they last won in 2014-15. With Arsene Wenger, the club's longest-tenured manager, at the helm for another season, and a group of talented players returning, the club will look to continue preparations for the season ahead with a clash against the MLS All-Stars.
Major League Soccer’s best take on English club Arsenal FC in the 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game at 4:30 PM PT (7:30 ET) live on ESPN, UniMás, UDN, TSN and RDS.
2016 AT&T MLS All-Stars:
Goalkeepers (2): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Defenders (7): Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution), Liam Ridgewell (Portland Timbers), Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union), Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire), Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Midfielders (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Kaká (Orlando City), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
Forwards (7): Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Cyle Larin (Orlando City), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), David Villa (New York City FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Arsenal FC:
Goalkeepers (3): Petr Cech, Emiliano Martinez, David Ospina
Defenders (7): Hector Bellerin, Krystian Bielik, Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Rob Holding, Nacho Monreal
Midfielders (9): Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Chris Willock, Jack Wilshere, Granit Xhaka, Gedion Zelalem
Forwards (4): Chuba Akpom, Joel Campbell, Alex Iwobi, Theo Walcott
