While football is growing in North America, the Major League Soccer naturally resembles more the other major leagues in the US, like the NBA: the presence of play-offs after the regular season and the big spectacles beyond the matches, including a tradition that has never been imported to Europe, All-Star games.
Just like in the NBA, the All-Star games take place midway through the regular season, with the best players of the whole league chosen via a combination of fan votes and a league commissioner. Initially they made the All-Stars of the East and West Conference fight, but lately they chose to instead have the MLS All-Stars playing against European clubs, like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Arsenal...
That changed in 2021, with the format still used today: the MLS All-Stars vs. the Liga MX All-Stars. That is, the best players of the MLS (USA and Canada) vs. the best players from the Mexican league.
MLS All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars
Now that they are halfway through the MLS regular season, it's time to set aside differences and play the All-Star, taking place on Wednesday, July 23 at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (Thursday, July 24 at 2:00 BST, 3:00 CEST in Europe). One day earlier there will be a skill challenge.
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And who will be the stars above the All-Stars? Naturally, all eyes will be on Inter Miami's Leo Messi, who can't stop scoring goals, in his first All-Star (he and Luis Suarez missed last year due to injury in Copa América). And there's already "fan-service", as he will reunite with Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, eternal rival they were at Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and then briefly teammates at Paris Saint-Germain.
Other popular players from the MLS All-Star include Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano (San Diego), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew), Evander (FC Cincinnati), and Jordi Alba (Inter Miami). On the Liga MX All-Star, we also find James Rodríguez (León), Alexis Vega (Toluca), and Sergio Canales (Monterrey).
Last year, the Mexicans beat the North Americans 4-1. In reality, the MLS All-Stars rarely win when they play against players from abroad... will it happen again this year, with Messi on their side?