SEATTLE, WASH. –Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Clint Dempsey, defender DeAndre Yedlin, and forward Obafemi Martins have been selected to the 2014 MLS All-Star Fan XI, MLS announced today. Sounders FC leads MLS with a league-high three players named to the All-Star Fan XI.
The MLS All-Stars will compete against Bayern Munich on August 6 at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2, UniMas, TSN and RDS.
Dempsey, 31, makes his third MLS All-Star appearance and first with Seattle, after starting in 2005 and 2006 while with the New England Revolution. In addition to captaining the U.S. National Team and scoring twice at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Dempsey has nine goals (fifth in MLS) and three assists in 10 appearances for Sounders FC this season, leading the league with 0.90 goals per game.
This marks the second consecutive All-Star appearance for Yedlin, 21, after being selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber as a rookie in 2013. The Seattle-native has 12 appearances this season and became the first MLS Homegrown Player to represent the U.S. at the World Cup, where he made three appearances and logged 112 minutes.
Martins, 29, earns his first MLS All-Star selection after joining Sounders FC in March of last year. The Nigerian striker has already matched his 2013 total of eight goals this season (sixth in MLS) to go along with six assists (tied-seventh). He is one of just three players in MLS with at least six goals and six assists each in 2014.
Martins earned his place on the Fan XI through the innovative AT&T/EA SPORTS MLS All-Star ‘More Than a Vote’ Challenge. Fans scored more than one million goals with Martins in FIFA 14, with one goal equaling one vote. Other players who finished in the top five of ‘More Than a Vote’ Challenge were Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy).
Sounders FC has earned multiple All-Star selections in each of its six years in existence. Yedlin becomes the fifth Seattle player to be selected to multiple All-Star games, joining Kasey Keller (2009-11), Freddie Ljungberg (2009-10), Fredy Montero (2009-10), and Osvaldo Alonso (2011-13).
In what could shape up to be a stateside World Cup showcase, MLS All-Star opponents Bayern Munich currently field seven players that took part in Germany’s World Cup winning team. In total, 14 Bayern players represented their countries in Brazil, more than any club in the world.
The Fan XI received the most votes at their respective positions from combined fan voting on two platforms – online at MLSsoccer.com and via Twitter. The ballot consisted of eight players from each club, as chosen by the media.
A 3-4-3 formation was selected for this year’s Fan XI. Bios for the 11 All-Stars named today are at the bottom of this release.
2013 MLS All-Star Fan XI
Goalkeeper: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC)
