The eyes of the North American soccer neighborhood now flip towards Austin, with scheduled to host the at 8 p.m. CT Wednesday.
The sport, performed between all-star choices from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, may function a number of the greatest names in world soccer from the final 20 years. There’s loads of homegrown aptitude, too, with some U.S. Males’s Nationwide Crew representatives anticipated to attend alongside a couple of gamers from the Mexico crew that simply claimed the Gold Cup in Houston earlier this month.
Commercial
Right here’s a have a look at a handful of notable gamers on each all-star rosters:
Lionel Messi
Broadly thought-about the best participant within the historical past of the game, Messi is on the MLS All-Star roster for the second season in a row. Whether or not he makes the journey to Q2 Stadium stays to be seen. Messi has scored 18 targets and supplied seven assists in 18 MLS video games this season. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has lifted the Champions League trophy 4 instances and claimed the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.
Mar 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Inter Miami ahead Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a purpose in opposition to Atlanta United in the course of the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Dale Zanine-Imagn Photographs
Sergio Ramos
No energetic defender in world soccer is extra adorned than Ramos, who received La Liga seven instances with Actual Madrid and reached the Champions League summit on 4 events. He helped spark arguably the best run of dominance on the worldwide stage for any nation, forming a wall on the again for Spain because it strung collectively two European Championships and a World Cup victory in a six-year span. Now, at age 39, he’s a fixture for Liga MX membership Monterrey.
Commercial
Jordi Alba
Alba received La Liga six instances whereas enjoying alongside Messi at Barcelona, additionally successful the Champions League in 2015. A left again with exceptional technical talent, Alba has scored 32 targets and added 115 assists throughout an 18-year enjoying profession in Spain and the US. He’s bought one purpose and 5 assists for Inter Miami up to now this season.
Extra:
James Rodríguez
One other participant with a exceptional historical past of success on the European stage, Rodríguez is a two-time Champions League winner and has received seven home titles between Porto, Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid. He’s bought 58 targets in 102 profession appearances for Colombia, too. Now with León, Rodríguez has registered 9 purpose contributions in 18 appearances since becoming a member of the Mexican membership.
Commercial
Sam Surridge
After a powerful 2024 in his first full season in MLS after arriving from Premier League membership Nottingham Forest, Surridge’s manufacturing has exploded in 2025. He leads the league with 18 targets, together with 13 of the non-penalty selection, and has supplied three assists to gas a powerful Nashville SC marketing campaign. Coach BJ Callaghan’s membership sits third within the East after ending close to the underside of the desk final yr.
Alexis Vega
Vega has been some of the productive gamers in Liga MX for years, with 100 purpose contributions to his identify in 227 appearances for Toluca and Guadalajara. He had his finest season final yr, when he scored 12 targets and added 11 assists to assist Toluca declare the Liga MX Clausura title.
Commercial
Brad Stuver
Stuver will likely be Austin FC’s consultant alongside coach Nico Estévez. The 34-year-old goalkeeper has virtually single-handedly positioned the Verde within the playoff hunt, conserving eight clear sheets from 24 begins. No membership within the league has scored fewer targets than the Verde, however Austin FC boasts the league’s second-best defensive document. That’s thanks largely to Stuver, who ranks contained in the league’s high 5 in save share and post-shot anticipated purpose differential — a sophisticated statistic that measures a goalkeeper’s outcomes in opposition to the saves they’re anticipated to make.
Gilberto Mora
Wednesday’s sport will current followers with an early have a look at a teen who may flip into one of many sport’s brightest stars: Tijuana midfielder Gilberto Mora. Mora, who’s solely 16, broke into the Mexican Nationwide Crew throughout the newest worldwide window and began 5 matches, together with the Gold Cup closing. He is the youngest participant ever to win a global trophy, surpassing Pele and Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal.
Commercial
Comply with the American-Statesman on and for extra. Your subscription makes work like this potential. with this