On Thursday evening at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California, the best that MLS has will once again take on one of the best club sides in the world in a game that has become an annual measuring stick for the growth of soccer in the United States.
Over the years, the MLS All-Stars have found themselves pitted against the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and AS Roma. This week, English Premier League power Arsenal will join that list of vaunted opponents when they play their second preseason match of the summer in Northern California.
Who will be involved?
There will be no shortage of big names involved in this encounter. Though the MLS All-Stars have named a relatively young roster for the game, which includes the likes of Cyle Larin, Brandon Vincent and Andre Blake, just to name a few, it still packs plenty of star power. For the second straight year, Kaka will be captaining the MLS All-Stars. He'll be joined in attack by such luminaries as Didier Drogba, David Villa, Sebastian Giovinco, Clint Dempsey, Ignacio Piatti and Chris Wondolowski. Other players with international pedigree involved include Andrea Pirlo, Giovani Dos Santos, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman and Darlington Nagbe.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have named a strong roster for the game. Though several players are still on holiday after the conclusion of the European Championship, Petr Cech, David Ospina, Hector Bellerin, Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal will all be available, giving them an almost full strength defense. Further up the pitch, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin, Jack Wilshere, new signing Granit Xhaka, Theo Walcott and American youth international Gedion Zelalem could all feature.
MLS All-Star Roster
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 Roster
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
What to watch for?
All-Star Games and preseason matches share something in common: they tend to showcase little cohesion. They feature either a group of talented individuals who aren't used to playing with each other or a team who are back together and attempting to play their way into shape while integrating a new face or two. When they're combined, they offer a game which will not be renowned for its tactical innovations. Both teams will be out there trying to get on with things, offer some entertainment for the fans, regain fitness in Arsenal's case and try to show that they belong.
This is a very young MLS team, featuring two rookie defenders in Vincent and Rosenberry and a couple of highly touted young players in Trapp and Larin. All should relish the opportunity to showcase themselves against a perennial English power, potentially in the hope of showing that they can cut it in England.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have brought over a number of young players who are fighting for squad places. Joel Campbell has impressed while with Costa Rica but has yet to sew up a place in the Arsenal first team. Zelalem, who made headlines in the United States when he chose to represent the US rather than Germany internationally, has already been given a first team debut by Arsene Wenger but spent last season on loan at Glasgow Rangers. He has every chance of earning a regular first-team place but must show why he's deserving, particularly while playing in front of a partisan crowd. The Gunners will certainly be more focused on the fitness of their players than the game's result as they get ready for the start of the English Premier League season in a few weeks. However, this will likely be a chance for Arsenal fans all across the world to get a look at Xhaka, who was signed over the summer after looking superb at the Euros in France.
History
For a game which has been going on for a relatively brief period of time, it has undergone a remarkable number of changes. This, the 21st edition of the MLS All-Star Game, will be the 12th time that a collection of MLS All-Stars have done battle against a European side who is in America to do preseason preparations.
Five of the first six MLS All-Star Games saw select teams from the Eastern and Western conferences play each other; the lone outlier there, the 1998 MLS All-Star Game, saw two teams from within the league selected. One was comprised of American MLS players, and the other drew in foreign players then plying their trade in America's top flight.
In 2002, the league attempted to capitalize on the popularity of the United States Men's National Team, who had just returned from a trip to the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In a rather bizarre game, the top USMNT players in MLS formed one team, while an "MLS All-Star Team" was fashioned of the best players not already obligated to play for the red, white and blue.
The following year, MLS began introducing foreign teams, as they welcomed Chivas de Guadalajara to the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. MLS briefly returned to the "East - West" format for one more season before settling into the familiar pattern of bringing in a European juggernaut.
Notable results
Over the last 12 years, the MLS All-Stars have enjoyed a number of thrilling victories and some embarrassing defeats. Possibly the finest hour for the All-Stars came in 2012 when they defeated Chelsea, who had just beaten Bayern Munich to win the UEFA Champions League, on a stoppage time winner from Eddie Johnson in Philadelphia. Two other former European Cup winners in Celtic and Bayern Munich have also been vanquished.
The MLS All-Stars have won the last two All-Star Games, defeated Bayern two years ago and Tottenham Hotspur last summer, both by 2-1 scorelines.
However, it hasn't all been rosy for the All-Stars. In 2010 and 2011, they were beaten handily by Manchester United, falling first by a score of 5-2 and by a 4-0 margin the second time. Three years ago, they were played off the park in a 3-1 loss to AS Roma in Kansas City. Only time will tell whether or not the All-Stars will add to their pantheon of impressive victories, or slump to another disappointing loss.