Top 10 Players to Watch in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game

10 Players to Watch at the 2026 MLS All-Star Game

With Lionel Messi excused for a third straight year, this year’s MLS All-Star Game leans on a genuinely deep supporting cast to carry the show. Here are the 10 names most likely to define Wednesday night at Bank of America Stadium.

MLS All-Star Game 2026: Date, Kickoff Time, Venue and How to Watch

1. Son Heung-min

Son headlines the reshaped MLS roster alongside Thomas Müller, and after a slow start to his MLS career following his World Cup run with South Korea, he’s found real rhythm since returning to LAFC — scoring in consecutive matches and leading the league in assists. An exhibition stage suits a player of his experience and flair perfectly.

2. Thomas Müller

Few players bring the kind of big-occasion pedigree Müller does, and his mere presence on the field elevates the profile of the match itself. Expect him to be heavily involved in build-up play regardless of the final scoreline.

3. Richie Laryea

Toronto FC’s veteran full-back arrives having started every match for Canada at this summer’s World Cup, and he’s one of just five defenders in MLS this season with multiple goals and multiple assists. In his eighth MLS season, Laryea has quietly established himself as one of the league’s most complete two-way defenders.

4. Anders Dreyer

San Diego FC’s Danish international has been one of the statistical stories of the MLS season, with six goals and nine assists in 17 games building on a 2025 campaign that won him MLS Newcomer of the Year. He’s the second-fastest player in league history to reach 20 goals and 20 assists — numbers that make him one of the most dangerous attacking players in the entire player pool.

5. Guilherme

A late addition to the roster after Messi’s and De Paul’s excusals opened up spots, Guilherme has been Houston Dynamo’s go-to attacking option in his first MLS season, leading the club outright in both goals (nine) and assists (seven). His inclusion gives him a deserved stage after a breakout campaign.

6. Philip Zinckernagel

Returning for his second straight All-Star selection, the Danish Designated Player has been a consistent offensive force for Chicago Fire, following up 30 goal contributions in 2025 with five goals and seven assists in 15 starts already this year. His resume across five European leagues before joining MLS adds a layer of proven quality to Chicago’s attack.

7. Tim Ream

As Charlotte FC’s own representative and USMNT captain, Ream carries extra significance playing in front of a home crowd. His experience at both club and international level, including this summer’s World Cup, makes him a natural leader for whichever backline combination MLS’s coaching staff settles on.

8. Matt Freese

The New York City FC goalkeeper finished as runner-up in last season’s MLS Goalkeeper of the Year voting, and an All-Star stage gives him a chance to showcase the shot-stopping that’s made him one of the league’s most reliable presences between the posts.

9. José Salomón Rondón

Leading the Liga MX side’s attacking line, the veteran Venezuelan striker brings genuine international pedigree and a proven scoring record across multiple leagues. Against an MLS defense still finding its shape in an exhibition setting, his movement and finishing instincts make him one of the most dangerous players on the pitch in either color.

10. Juan Brunetta

Brunetta was named MVP of the 2024 edition of this exact fixture, and his creative influence in behind the striker makes him the player most likely to orchestrate a signature Liga MX moment if this year’s match follows a similar pattern to that one-sided 2024 result in Columbus.

The Bottom Line

This year’s All-Star field trades one enormous individual draw for a genuinely wide spread of quality across both rosters — proven MLS performers finally getting their moment in the spotlight, a Liga MX side stacked with recent Concacaf Champions Cup winners, and enough World Cup pedigree on both benches to make Wednesday’s exhibition feel like more than just a mid-season formality.

🔹🔹 follow us on facebook 🔹🔹