MLS All-Star 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Pepsi Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 13th consecutive MLS All-Star Game
. The MLS All-Stars faced West Ham United of the English Premier League. The game was played on July 24, 2008, with the MLS winning 3–2. New England Revolution
coach Steve Nicol
coached the All-Stars. The motto for the 2008 MLS All-Star Game is "Major League Soccer Takes on the World." Chicago Fire's Cuauhtémoc Blanco
was named MVP
.
awarded the 2008 All-Star Game to Toronto, Ontario in 2007 on the eve of MLS All-Star 2007
. The game was played in the new soccer-specific stadium
, BMO Field
and was the first MLS All-Star Game held in Canada. BMO Field is home to the MLS' 13th franchise, Toronto FC
.
would be the fifth international opponent for the marquee event. Founded in 1895, the east London club was originally called Thames Ironworks FC but switched to West Ham United five years later and has been playing at the Boleyn Ground
since 1904. West Ham has forged a reputation of cultivating some of the world's top players, such as Frank Lampard
, Michael Carrick
, Rio Ferdinand
, and Joe Cole
, giving rise to its frequent reference as The Academy of Football
.
and Toronto FC
, hosts of the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, unveiled the MLS All-Star First XI in a press conference aired live exclusively on MLSnet.com from BMO Field
on Thursday, July 10 at 11 am ET. In addition to the First XI, Commissioner Don Garber
picked two more players for the All-Star team, and coach Steve Nicol
received five picks on July 15, 2008.
After the U.S. U-23 Olympic Team roster was announced, three additional picks were awarded to Steve Nicol
on Thursday, July 17 to replace Michael Parkhurst
, Sacha Kljestan
, and Robbie Rogers
. The additions included 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year Jonathan Bornstein
, veteran Steve Ralston
, and Colombian Juan Toja, who scored a goal in last year's All-Star Game.
As of July 19, 2008. Players in bold denotes First XI status.
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~ – Players selected by coach
† – "Commissioner's Picks"
♦ – Inactive
Major League Soccer All-Star Game
The MLS All-Star Game is an annual soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against various competitors...
. The MLS All-Stars faced West Ham United of the English Premier League. The game was played on July 24, 2008, with the MLS winning 3–2. New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
coach Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
coached the All-Stars. The motto for the 2008 MLS All-Star Game is "Major League Soccer Takes on the World." Chicago Fire's Cuauhtémoc Blanco
Cuauhtémoc Blanco
Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo is a Mexican professional footballer currently signed for Irapuato in the Mexican Liga de Ascenso.Known for his aggressive yet charismatic personality on the field, playing most of his career as a deep-lying forward and his last years as an attacking midfielder...
was named MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
Toronto FC named host
MLS Commissioner Don GarberDon Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
awarded the 2008 All-Star Game to Toronto, Ontario in 2007 on the eve of MLS All-Star 2007
MLS All-Star 2007
The 2007 Sierra Mist Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 12th consecutive MLS All-Star Game. The 2007 MLS All-Star Game took place on 19 July 2007 between the 2007 MLS All-Stars and Celtic....
. The game was played in the new soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
, BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
and was the first MLS All-Star Game held in Canada. BMO Field is home to the MLS' 13th franchise, Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
.
West Ham United
On April 4, 2008, the Major League Soccer website announced that Premier League club West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
would be the fifth international opponent for the marquee event. Founded in 1895, the east London club was originally called Thames Ironworks FC but switched to West Ham United five years later and has been playing at the Boleyn Ground
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
since 1904. West Ham has forged a reputation of cultivating some of the world's top players, such as Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
, Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United and the England national team. He has made more than 300 Premier League appearances and played in 50 UEFA Champions League games as of April 2011...
, Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
, and Joe Cole
Joe Cole
Joseph John "Joe" Cole is an English footballer who plays for Lille, on loan from Liverpool, and the England national football team as midfielder. He started his career with where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003...
, giving rise to its frequent reference as The Academy of Football
The Academy of Football
The Academy of Football, or just The Academy, is a nickname of the English football club West Ham United.The title pays homage to the success of the club in coaching talented young players...
.
Voting
Major League Soccer released an official ballot to decide the players called to represent the league in the All-Star game. A four-tier voting system determined the First XI players selected for the game. The online fan balloting program comprised 25% of the total vote, with coaches and general managers (25%), players (25%), and media (25%) combining for the remaining 75% percent of the vote. The combined vote of the four groups determined the MLS First XI.Major League Soccer
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, hosts of the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, unveiled the MLS All-Star First XI in a press conference aired live exclusively on MLSnet.com from BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
on Thursday, July 10 at 11 am ET. In addition to the First XI, Commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
picked two more players for the All-Star team, and coach Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
received five picks on July 15, 2008.
After the U.S. U-23 Olympic Team roster was announced, three additional picks were awarded to Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
on Thursday, July 17 to replace Michael Parkhurst
Michael Parkhurst
Michael Parkhurst is an American soccer player. He plays primarily as center back for F.C. Nordsjælland in the Danish Superliga...
, Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Anderlecht in the Belgian First Division.-Youth and College:...
, and Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers is an American soccer player who currently plays for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer and the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth and College:...
. The additions included 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year Jonathan Bornstein
Jonathan Bornstein
Jonathan Rey Bornstein is an American soccer player who currently plays for UANL of the Primera División de México and for the United States national team.-Youth and College:...
, veteran Steve Ralston
Steve Ralston
Steve Ralston is a retired American soccer player and a current assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo.-Professional:...
, and Colombian Juan Toja, who scored a goal in last year's All-Star Game.
As of July 19, 2008. Players in bold denotes First XI status.
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†
†
~
~
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
~ – Players selected by coach
† – "Commissioner's Picks"
♦ – Inactive
- MLS All-Star Head Coach – Steve NicolSteve NicolStephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
West Ham United
As of May 13, 2008.Match details
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Man of the Match:  Cuauhtémoc BlancoCuauhtémoc Blanco Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo is a Mexican professional footballer currently signed for Irapuato in the Mexican Liga de Ascenso.Known for his aggressive yet charismatic personality on the field, playing most of his career as a deep-lying forward and his last years as an attacking midfielder... Assistant referees:  Héctor VergaraHéctor Vergara Héctor Vergara is a Canadian football referee. Although born in San Javier, Chile, Vergara grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He attended John Taylor Collegiate...  Greg BarkeyFourth official: Mark GeigerMark Geiger Mark Geiger is an Association football referee, from Beachwood, NJ. He officiates in Major League Soccer in the United States and Canada. His other occupation is as a secondary school mathematics teacher.-Career:... |