PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer announced today that Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri was named as a 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star completing the 32-player squad selected for this year. Valeri joins Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe and defender Liam Ridgewell who were previously named to the team.
This is Valeri's third MLS All-Star selection following his inactive roster selection in 2013 and active roster selection in 2014. The midfielder leads the Timbers in assists with five in 2016 while his nine goals on the campaign are fifth in MLS. Valeri, in his fourth season with Portland, has 32 goals and 40 assists in 104 career MLS games with the club.
Also named as MLS All-Stars for 2016: David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), C.J. Sapong (Philadelphia Union), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers).
Known as the “inactive roster”, a minimum of 32 players are named annually per the League’s collective bargaining agreement. The four players named this year join the 28 players already selected, with 26 players as part of the original gameday roster, and two replacements later named.
The 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game is July 28, 2016 against English Premier League side Arsenal FC. Kickoff at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif. is 4:30pm PT on ESPN.
