Chicharito, Vela will lead MLS All-Stars against Mexico stars

Los Angeles (AFP) – Mexican strikers Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Carlos Vela will lead the Major League Soccer All-Stars against the Mexican League All-Stars, MLS announced on Wednesday.

The US and Canadian league unveiled a 28-player roster for the MLS All-Star Game on August 25 at Los Angeles, where Hernandez played for the LA Galaxy and Vela for Los Angeles FC.

Vela has 64 goals for LAFC since signing in August 2017, including a record 34 goals in 2019, and captained MLS All-Star squads in 2018 and 2019.

He’s one of only four players selected with prior MLS All-Star experience.

Hernandez has scored 10 goals, five in the first two matches, for the Galaxy this season and set up 10 other goals. The 33-year-old forward is Mexico’s all-time goal scorer with 52 in 109 appearances.

Other frontliners on the MLS squad include Peru’s Raul Ruidiaz of Seattle, Uruguayan winger Diego Rossi of LAFC, Portuguese winger Nani of Orlando City, Hungary’s Daniel Salloi of Kansas City and Argentine winger Gustavo Bou of New England.

MLS goalkeepers will be Peruvian Pedro Gallese of Orlando City and New England’s Matt Turner, who helped the United States to victory over Mexico in last Sunday’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson, who scored the trophy-winning goal in the 117th minute, was also named to the MLS squad.

Seattle had a team-best six players named to the All-Star lineup, including brothers Cristian and Alex Roldan, who play internationally for the United States and El Salvador respectively.