D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum has been selected to the 2016 MLS All-Star roster that will represent the league against Arsenal F.C. at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on July 28. In 2016, the central defender has made 13 appearances (playing all 90 minutes in each) and leads the team in Aerial Duels Won (67 percent). 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.
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 56 career appearances and scored two goals.
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 live on ESPN, UniMás, UDN, TSN and RDS.
The 26-man Gameday Roster is made up of 24 players chosen by All-Star coach Dominic Kinnear, taking into consideration the All-Star Fan XI and player voting, and the two Commissioner’s Picks. The Gameday Roster includes representation from 19 MLS clubs and is a mix of 16 All-Star newcomers and 10 All-Star veterans.
All eleven players named to the All-Star Fan XI, nominated by media and selected by fans, were named to the Gameday Roster including: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), and David Villa (New York City FC – AT&T/EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge).
Joining the Fan XI are 13 additional league standouts: goalkeeper David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), defenders Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire), Liam Ridgewell (Portland Timbers), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution), midfielders Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), and forwards Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes) and Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC).
Rounding out the roster are the two Commissioner’s Picks, midfielders Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas) and Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake).
2016 MLS All-Star Game Roster by Position
Goalkeeper: David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), 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 FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
Forwards: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), David Villa (New York City FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
2016 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster by Team
Chicago Fire (1): Brandon Vincent
Colorado Rapids (1): Jermaine Jones
Columbus Crew SC (1): Wil Trapp
D.C. United (1): Steve Birnbaum
FC Dallas (1): Mauro Diaz
LA Galaxy (1): Giovani dos Santos
Montreal Impact (3): Laurent Ciman, Didier Drogba, Ignacio Piatti
New England Revolution (1): Andrew Farrell
New York City FC (2): Andrea Pirlo, David Villa
New York Red Bulls (1): Sacha Kljestan
Orlando City SC (2): Kaká, Cyle Larin
Philadelphia Union (2): Andre Blake, Keegan Rosenberry
Portland Timbers (2): Darlington Nagbe, Liam Ridgewell
Real Salt Lake (1): Kyle Beckerman
San Jose Earthquakes (2): David Bingham, Chris Wondolowski
Seattle Sounders FC (1): Clint Dempsey
Sporting Kansas City (1): Matt Besler
Toronto FC (1): Sebastian Giovinco
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1): Kendall Waston
