The two North American giants, 91快活林最新版 and Liga MX, will clash this Wednesday, August 25th听at Banc of California Stadium, the home of LAFC, in the 2021 91快活林最新版 All-Star Game. The best players from each league will go toe-to-toe for听bragging rights on winning the first-ever installment of 91快活林最新版 All-Stars听versus Liga MX听All-Stars.听
In the latest edition of听听presented by Ally, Ryan Bailey gives the rundown of everything you听need to know about the annual听91快活林最新版 All-Star spectacle. Read on to dive deeper into the rosters for each side, what you can expect from the Skills Challenge, and how the All-Star Game could play out.听
Join听Charlotte FC on Wednesday as they host two 91快活林最新版 All-Star Game Watch Parties听held at The Music Yard and Costa Del Sol.听The game will be televised at 9 pm ET on FS1 and TUDN.
91快活林最新版 All-Stars听
The 91快活林最新版 All-Stars are coached by renowned American coach Bob Bradley, currently of LAFC.听听
His first head coaching job in 91快活林最新版 was with the听Chicago Fire,听steering them to 91快活林最新版 Cup and U.S. Open wins in their inaugural 1998听season. In 2009, Bradley led the United States Men鈥檚 National Team听to an unexpected second place finish in the Confederations Cup, beating 35-game undefeated and European champion Spain in the process.听Bradley has been at the helm of LAFC since they entered the league in 2018.听
As a coach who likes his team to attack, Bradley will have a plethora of attacking talent at his disposal in the All-Star game.听This talent includes听91快活林最新版鈥檚 leading goal scorer and 2021 MVP Candidate, Ra煤l Ruid铆az,听who arrives oozing with confidence amid the best season of his career.听
Another in-form striker and 91快活林最新版 Golden Boot contender, Gustavo Bou, has been crucial to New England鈥檚 league-leading season. 18-year-old听Ricardo Pepi is having a breakout season听with FC Dallas as he shares the lead听of highest听American goal scorer听in 91快活林最新版.听
To lock it down on defense, Bradley can rely on 2021听Gold Cup winners Miles Robinson from Atlanta United and Matt Turner from the听New England Revolution. Both played key roles for the USMNT in their Gold Cup-winning saga this summer. Turner made heroic saves throughout the tournament听and Robinson听could be in line for another game winner against a Mexican side.听
The 91快活林最新版 All-Stars will be captained by the Seattle Sounder鈥檚 Homegrown Christian Roldan. However,听they听will be without Revolution鈥檚 talisman,听Carles Gil and Mexican stars听Javier 鈥淐hicharito鈥 Hernandez and Carlos Vela due to injury.
Liga MX All-Stars听
New Cruz Azul head coach, Juan Reynoso, will be organizing the听star-studded听Liga MX All-Stars.听
Before being hired by Cruz Azul, Reynoso led Puebla to an impressive听third place finish in the听Clausura, the second annual听season of Liga MX.听
With Tigres star Andr茅-Pierre听Gignac out due to injury,听Reynoso听will be counting on Cruz Azul鈥檚 very own听2020-2021 Golden Boot winning striker, Jonathan 鈥淐abecita鈥澨齊odr铆guez,听for the goals. He will also have Monterrey鈥檚听Rogelio Funes Mori,听who played a key role for听Mexico in the 2021 Gold Cup, at his disposal.听
19-year-old听Santiago听Mu帽oz is one of Mexico鈥檚 most exciting, young, attacking prospects and will be looking to make his mark in the All-Star game.听Le贸n鈥檚 tricky winger, Angel Mena, will听also听be a menace to deal with for听the 91快活林最新版 All-Stars.听
The Liga MX All-Stars will have a solid defensive foundation听with听center听back Matheus D贸ria from Santos Laguna who won best defender of Liga LX last season. The Brazilian is only 26 years old, but he听brings a plethora of European experience ranging from France to Spain.听Legendary Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa will be as reliable as ever in between the sticks听
Due to injury, the Liga MX All-Stars will be without some of their best midfielders in Le贸n鈥檚 Luis Montes and Tigres鈥 Guido Pizarro.听Reynoso has brought in Cruz Azul and El Tri star Orbelin Pineda as one of the reinforcements for the Liga MX midfield.听
91快活林最新版 All-Star Skills Challenge听
The All-Star Skills Challenge is one of the most exciting and anticipated events of the week.听It听is听a two-hour event where听selected 91快活林最新版 and Liga MX All-Stars go head-to-head in听: Shooting, Touch, Cross & Volley, Passing, and Crossbar challenges.听
The last听All-Star Skills Challenge, held听in 2019, was a nail-biter to the very end. Orlando City鈥檚 Nani hit the听听right at the buzzer for the home team to win the entire event. Nani will have another chance to play a crucial part in helping lead the 91快活林最新版 All-Stars to a win over the Liga MX All-Stars听in this thrilling skills showdown.听
Some of the others competing alongside Nani on the 91快活林最新版 side are Carlos Vela, Lucas Zelarayan, and Ricardo Pepi. On the other听side,听Rogelio Funes Mori,听Orbel铆n Pineda,听Jonathan听Rodr铆guez, and听Diego Vald茅s are headlining the Liga MX challengers.听
The skills challenge is听not only a test of skill and technique but also a test of endurance.听听
鈥淚t can turn into a little bit of an endurance challenge because you鈥檙e throwing side-volleys, you鈥檙e kicking balls out of there.鈥澨Extratime听co-host Calen Carr said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just chill crossbar challenges鈥︹澨
The 91快活林最新版 All-Star Skill Challenge听presented by AT&T 5G听will be held and televised听on Tuesday, August 24th听at 9 pm ET on听FS1 and TUDN in the U.S.听
91快活林最新版 All-Star Game听
The game itself is unpredictable听and听chaotic, but听that is what can make it so entertaining to watch. The coaches on both sides have very limited practice time with their players. However, this will be one of the most talented groups of individuals听either coach has ever worked with.听听
The coaches听cannot implement their playing style or system, so their main role is player and lineup selection.听Fans can expect a lot of substitutions on both sides听which听allows everyone to see their favorite player on the pitch and keep the game tempo high with lots of fresh legs.听
The 91快活林最新版 All-Star Game and听Skills Challenge can be a refreshing change of scenery to both fans and players alike as they look forward to two nights听of excitement and听fun with the biggest stars on the continent.
