NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 27, 2023) – Nashville Soccer Club in conjunction with Major League Soccer announced today that reigning 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar and Designated Player Walker Zimmerman have been selected to participate in the 2023 MLS All-Star Game in Washington D.C. on July 19.
Mukhtar and Zimmerman will join a cast of MLS All-Stars to compete against English Premier League side Arsenal FC in the showpiece event of the summer, as the entire soccer community unites to celebrate the sport and soccer culture in North America. The match can be seen on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Mukhtar appeared in his first MLS All-Star festivities in 2022 in Minnesota by participating in the All-Star Game against LIGA MX as well as in the Skills Challenge. The German became the Skills Challenge’s hero as he hit the crossbar from distance sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Following a 2022 MVP-caliber season, Mukhtar is in route to claiming back-to-back titles in 2023, as he leads MLS in goals scored (13) and goal contributions (20). Earlier this year, Mukhtar was named the MLS Player of the Month of May, after a hat trick performance against Chicago Fire FC on May 6, while guiding Nashville SC to five consecutive home wins, a club record. The sensation continued with a heroic start to June as he recorded a hat trick against the then Western Conference leaders St. Louis CITY SC. Mukhtar propelled the Boys in Gold to a 10-match unbeaten streak (7W-0L-3D), the best in club history.
Making his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance, Zimmerman has been selected to the most All-Star Games of anyone on the 2023 roster. The 2022 All-Star became a social sensation as he and his then one-year old son Tucker Zimmerman dominated the off the pitch conversation.
Zimmerman has anchored the best backline in MLS this season, allowing a league low 16 goals in league play, while competing at a high level at both the club and country. Offensively the Nashville SC captain started the 2023 campaign in a loud way as well, scoring the game-winning goal on opening day at GEODIS Park against New York City FC on Feb. 25.
With the United States Men’s National Team, Zimmerman has registered five caps this calendar year including two appearances in route to a Nations League Tournament win in Las Vegas Nevada with victories over Canada and Mexico.
Come see your Nashville SC All-Stars when they face D.C. United at GEODIS Park on Saturday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app. Limited tickets are available at www.NashvilleSC.com/Tickets.
The 2023 MLS All-Star roster by position and selection mechanism:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Roman Bürki (St. Louis CITY SC / Voted In), Tyler Miller (D.C. United / Coach’s Selection), Djordje Petrović (New England Revolution / Coach’s Selection)
DEFENDERS (7): Álvaro Barreal (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Jon Gallagher (Austin FC / Voted In), Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC / Coach’s Selection), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Tim Parker (St. Louis CITY SC / Coach’s Selection), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls / Coach’s Selection), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC / Voted In)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United / Voted In), Mathieu Choinière (CF Montréal / Commissioner’s Selection), Héctor Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC / Coach’s Selection), José Martínez (Philadelphia Union / Coach’s Selection), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew / Voted In), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC / Voted In), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy / Coach’s Selection), Lucas Zelarayán (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
FORWARDS / WINGERS (7): Christian Benteke (D.C. United / Coach’s Selection), Dénis Bouanga (LAFC / Voted In), Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes / Coach’s Selection), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas / Voted In), Giorgos Giakoumakis (Atlanta United / Coach’s Selection), Kei Kamara (Chicago Fire FC / Commissioner’s Selection), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC / Voted In)
For bios of each of the 26 MLS All-Stars | Click Here
