PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer announced today that Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri has been named to the roster for the 2017 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, as chosen by MLS All-Star head coach Veljko Paunovic.
Valeri is among 24 MLS players selected to compete against La Liga giants Real Madrid at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific), live on FS1, Univision, TSN, and TVA Sports. Today’s announcement also included two Commissioner’s Picks as part of a 24-man Gameday Roster. The announcement marks the second time Valeri has been named to the MLS All-Star Gameday Roster, with the midfielder delivering the game-winning assist in the MLS All-Star team’s 2-1 win over Bayern Munich at Providence Park in 2014. Valeri was an inactive MLS All-Star in 2013 and 2016.
In his fifth season with the Timbers, Valeri, 31, leads the team in points (27) with 10 goals and seven assists in 2017. Recording at least 10 goals and seven assists for a second consecutive season, Valeri extended his goal-scoring tally to 47 in league play, which ranks as the second-most in club history across all eras (since 1975). Additionally, only three players in MLS history have recorded 45 goals and 45 assists in fewer games than Valeri, who accomplished the feat with a brace in the team’s 2-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes on June 2.
2017 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster
Goalkeepers: Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Greg Garza (Atlanta United), Hernán Grana (FC Dallas), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Johan Kappelhof (Chicago Fire), Michael Parkhurst (Atlanta United), Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Nemanja Nikolić (Chicago Fire), David Villa (New York City FC)
*indicates Commissioner’s picks
