The 2021 Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 25th edition of the annual Major League Soccer All-Star Game, an exhibition soccer match in the United States. The game, featuring the MLS All-Stars taking on the Liga MX All-Stars, was played at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California.[1]
| Target All-Star Los Angeles '21 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 2021 Major League Soccer season | ||||||
| |||||||
| MLS All-Stars won 3–2 on penalties | |||||||
| Date | August 25, 2021 | ||||||
| Venue | Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, California | ||||||
| Most Valuable Player | Matt Turner (MLS All-Stars) | ||||||
| Referee | Armando Villarreal (United States) | ||||||
| Attendance | 21,000 | ||||||
The game was originally scheduled to take place on July 29, 2020, during the 2020 season, but was postponed on May 19, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The game was televised domestically on Fox Sports 1 and Univision in the United States, and on TSN and TVA Sports in Canada.
The MLS All-Stars won the match 3–2 on penalties after the 90 minute-match ended in a 1–1 tie.
Match planning
editThe Major League Soccer All-Star Game originally fielded two all-star teams from the Western and Eastern conferences. Other competition formats pitted an all-star team against various opponents, including the United States men's national soccer team and clubs from Mexico and Europe.[2] An exhibition between the MLS All-Stars and an all-star team from Liga MX, the top flight of Mexican soccer, was proposed in the mid-2010s as part of a closer relationship between the leagues.[3] Officials from MLS and Liga MX announced a new partnership in March 2018, including new club competitions like the Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup, and a commitment for a shared all-star game.[4][5] Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla attended the 2018 MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta with MLS commissioner Don Garber, where they continued discussions for the match, including a potential venue in the Los Angeles area.[6]
On November 20, 2019, MLS officially announced that the 2020 All-Star Game would be played against the Liga MX All-Stars at Banc of California Stadium, the home of Los Angeles FC. It is the first to be played against an all-star team from another league.[7] LAFC head coach Bob Bradley was selected as the manager of the MLS All-Star team.[7] It is the first MLS All-Star Game to be played in the Los Angeles area since 2003, which was hosted by the LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center, now known as Dignity Health Sports Park.[7][2]
On May 19, 2020, MLS announced that the All-Star Game would be canceled alongside the 2020 Leagues Cup and 2020 Campeones Cup due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The league later announced that the All-Star Game would be rescheduled for the 2021 season in Los Angeles, with the MLS All-Stars against the Liga MX All-Stars.[9] The league announced on June 9, 2021, that the All-Star Game against Liga MX would be played on August 25 at Banc of California Stadium.[10]
Squads
editMLS All-Stars
editThe MLS All-Star squad was announced on August 4, 2021. Carlos Vela and Javier Hernández withdrew due to injury. New England players Carles Gil and Tajon Buchanan withdrew as well as Minnesota United midfielder Emanuel Reynoso. Rodolfo Pizarro, George Bello, and Sebastian Lletget were added as replacements.[11]
Six members of the starting XI were selected from Seattle Sounders FC, tying the record set by D.C. United in 2006. Brothers Cristian Roldan and Alex Roldan also became the first brothers to play for the All-Star team.[12]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
- Manager:
Bob Bradley (Los Angeles FC)
Liga MX All-Stars
editThe Liga MX All-Star squad was announced on July 19, 2021. Nahuel Guzmán and Jorge Sánchez were called up as replacements for José de Jesús Corona and Fernando Navarro who withdrew due to injury.[13] On August 23, the final squad was announced with 10 new players added.[14]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
- Manager:
Juan Reynoso (Cruz Azul)
Skills Challenge
editThe MLS All-Star Skills Challenge was played on August 24 at Banc of California Park between eight players from each team in five events. The Liga MX All-Stars defeated the MLS All-Stars in the competition by a score of 26–25, with the tiebreaker scored by Cruz Azul forward Jonathan Rodríguez in the Crossbar Challenge.[15][16]
Broadcasting
editThe All-Star Game and Skills Challenge were both broadcast in the United States on Fox Sports 1 in English and TUDN in Spanish, as well as TSN and TVA Sports in Canada.[17] Fox Sports broadcast the match in 4K HDR and also deployed several special slow-motion cameras for the match, as well as a skycam.[18] The Fox Sports broadcast averaged 175,000 viewers, setting a record low for the event's English broadcasts, while the TUDN broadcast averaged 1.4 million and peaked at 1.6 million—the second-most for a Spanish broadcast of the match.[19][20]
Match
editMLS All-Stars   | 1–1 |  Liga MX All-Stars |
|---|---|---|
Murillo  53' |
Report | Rodríguez 20' |
| Penalties | ||
| 3–2 | ||
       MLS All-Stars
|
 Liga MX All-Stars
|
Match rules
edit- Unlimited substitutions
- Penalty shoot-out if tied at full time; no extra time[21]
References
edit- ^ "Banc of California to host 2021 MLS All-Star Game". Los Angeles Times. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Baxter, Kevin (November 18, 2019). "MLS All-Stars will play top Liga MX players next summer at Banc of California Stadium". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Marshall, Tom (January 4, 2017). "Chivas in finals and an All-Star game with MLS cap Liga MX wish list for 2017". ESPN. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Parker, Graham (March 15, 2018). "The MLS-Liga MX partnership could alter soccer's North American trajectory". The Guardian. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Creditor, Avi (March 13, 2018). "MLS, Liga MX Join Forces for Campeones Cup, Future All-Star Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ McIntyre, Doug (November 20, 2019). "MLS, Liga MX will square off in 2020 All-Star game in Los Angeles". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ a b c "MLS vs. Liga MX: 2020 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target heads to LA". Major League Soccer. November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Major League Soccer Provides Updates on All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup" (Press release). Major League Soccer. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Jack (May 19, 2020). "MLS cancels All-Star game scheduled to be held in Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- ^ Bonagura, Kyle (June 9, 2021). "MLS-Liga MX All-Star Game planned for Aug. 25 at LAFC's Banc of California Stadium". ESPN. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Updated 2021 MLS All-Star Team Roster". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "MLS All-Stars lineup: Roldan brothers make history among 6 Sounders starters vs. Liga MX". MLSsoccer.com. August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Quiroga, Antonio (July 28, 2021). "Liga MX llama a Nahuel y Jorge Sánchez al All-Star Game por jugadores lesionados" [Liga MX calls up Nauhel and Jorge Sánchez to the All-Star Game for injured players] (in Spanish). TUDN. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "Updated Liga MX 2021 MLS All-Star Game Roster". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ Baxter, Kevin (August 24, 2021). "MLS All-Star skills competition is not quite a classic, but it's a start". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Bogert, Tom (August 24, 2021). "Liga MX All-Stars defeat MLS in 2021 All-Star Skills Challenge pres. by AT&T 5G". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "5 things to know about the 2021 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target". MLSsoccer.com. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Hernandez, Kristian (August 24, 2021). "MLS All-Star Game 2021: Fox Sports Spotlights League's Summer Jewel With 4K HDR, Pitchside Megalodon". Sports Video Group. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Shea, Bill (August 27, 2021). "MLS All-Star Game generated wildly different TV viewerships in English and Spanish". The Athletic. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Williams, Bob (August 27, 2021). "MLS All-Star Game generates mixed domestic ratings success". Sports Business. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "The complete beginner's guide to the 2017 MLS All-Star Game". MLSsoccer.com. April 11, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2019.