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Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The MLS All-Star game entertained plenty, but that may no longer be enough
The MLS All-Star game is what you make of it. Want to see it as yet another benchmark by which we can measure the US and Canada's top professional league against Mexico's? The current format, pitting a team of MLS stars against Liga MX's own selection, will provide that (however flimsy the conclusions may be from MLS's 3-1 win). Want it to be nothing more than a good time? The tenor of play, and that of the previous night's very fun but very silly skills competition won by MLS, will do that. Sam Surridge's first-half opener, the confirmation of which was somewhat hilariously delayed by a VAR check, came after an impressive display of speed and skill from LAFC's Denis Bouanga, who picked the pocket of Necaxa's Agustín Palavecino before bursting through on goal. The Philadelphia Union's Tai Baribo finished off a well-worked second off a super through ball from Columbus' Diego Rossi. All four of those involved in the goals are among the league's best attacking stars, and they shone brightly. Related: MLS commissioner defends ban on 'political' signage at games amid Ice crackdown LigaMX had a major asset ball out as well. Sixteen-year-old Gilberto Mora, who broke through impressively with Mexico during the Gold Cup and has done the same at club level with Tijuana, scored the league's only goal of the night. Vancouver's American standout Brian White bundled in MLS's final goal, giving a boost to the league's work improving the depth of the USMNT ahead of a huge World Cup year. Substitutions came with regularity, every 30 minutes or so. No heavy tackles were put in, no injuries were reported, both teams put forth effort in attack and a lively sold-out crowd seemed plenty entertained by the spectacle. If you see it as a total waste of time, though, there's some reason for that too – and you'd have some famous company. The biggest star in the league said as much with his actions, as Lionel Messi skipped the three-day festivities in Austin, Texas entirely (along with Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba, who shared many of Messi's best years at FC Barcelona). Both could be suspended for Inter Miami's next match as a result of their absence, a crucial clash against top-of-the-table Cincinnati on Saturday. In one sense Messi's no-show is a needlessly aloof move. The publicity demands on him would have been great, but they always are, and that hasn't stopped him from continuing to be his famously reclusive self. Events like All-Star, as silly as they may seem to the rest of the world, are a fixture of American sports culture. It's existed since the first year of the league and every other major US pro league has one. To effectively scoff at its existence is akin to protesting against the searing heat and bitter cold that accompany MLS's season, or complaining about Boxing Day matches and the resulting holiday-period fixture congestion in England. The conditions may not be ideal, the timing may suck, but it's part of the culture. Related: Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba face suspension for skipping MLS All-Star game And in that sporting culture where Messi is a natural fixture, big stars like him show up for these games. Michael Jordan played in 13 of them. LeBron James has started all 21 of the ones in which he appeared. Wayne Gretzky played in 18; Sidney Crosby just made his 10th. Shohei Ohtani has taken part in each of the last five All-Star games, even when his health has prevented him from taking part fully. It is not ridiculous for MLS to have an All-Star game, and it is similarly not beyond the pale to expect a player making over $20m per year with the implicit expectation of being the face of the league to take part. Or is it? Unlike those stars of past and present, neither Messi nor Alba made their names in a North American league. It's not like either player is coasting on their names – both have been extremely impressive in MLS. In a way, Messi is showing the league a backhanded form of respect by saving himself for games that actually matter. Even MLS commissioner Don Garber admitted in a press conference before the game that All-Star, while useful to the league from a business standpoint, is not without its flaws for players. 'This is first time we've had all of our CSOs [Chief Soccer Officers] here, all of our CBOs [Chief Business Officers] here, all of our owners here, it is an important mid season break for us,' Garber said, before pointing out that Messi has indeed played nine games in the past 35 days between the Club World Cup and MLS league play, with him going the full 90 minutes in every one. 'Miami's had a schedule that is unlike any other team. Most of our teams had a 10 day break. Miami hasn't. We have to manage through that as a league. At the same time, we do have rules, and we have to manage through that as well.' Related: The most aggressive set-piece team in the world plays in Minnesota By 'manage through that,' Garber is hinting at a feeling he said explicitly later on in that press conference: It is time for MLS to re-think the foundations of its All-Star game. The commissioner revealed for the first time a specific per-game number of viewers the league draws for its game broadcasts on average: 120,000. That is not an impressive number, and it represents a near-50% increase on last year, according to Garber. Does continuing to hold an All-Star game as currently presented help boost that number as the league, like all leagues, deals with increasing fixture congestion? It's unlikely. Garber said that the league was still focused on keeping the game competitive, and that changing it up could be as simple as finding a different type of opponent. In the past, the league has hosted games against famous clubs from around the world – and perhaps that could be a reality again. But this push for competitiveness comes as most US leagues are doing the exact opposite. The NBA abandoned the East-West format of old and the game itself seems less and less like real basketball each year. The NFL no longer holds a Pro Bowl at all (A sensible decision, all told, considering the violence inherent in modern American football). MLB is seemingly the only other major league to hold firm – its recent All-Star game was the most-watched among US sports, with viewership up 6% this year. 'I love the All-Star game,' Garber said, 'Most leagues probably do. But how do you get your players to love the All-Star game?' Judging from their comments throughout the week, most MLS players do. But that feeling may be declining, and perhaps it's not as important any more anyway.
The Guardian
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
The MLS All-Star game entertained plenty, but that may no longer be enough
The MLS All-Star game is what you make of it. Want to see it as yet another benchmark by which we can measure the US and Canada's top professional league against Mexico's? The current format, pitting a team of MLS stars against Liga MX's own selection, will provide that (however flimsy the conclusions may be from MLS's 3-1 win). Want it to be nothing more than a good time? The tenor of play, and that of the previous night's very fun but very silly skills competition won by MLS, will do that. Sam Surridge's first-half opener, the confirmation of which was somewhat hilariously delayed by a VAR check, came after an impressive display of speed and skill from LAFC's Denis Bouanga, who picked the pocket of Necaxa's Agustín Palavecino before bursting through on goal. The Philadelphia Union's Tai Baribo finished off a well-worked second off a super through ball from Columbus' Diego Rossi. All four of those involved in the goals are among the league's best attacking stars, and they shone brightly. LigaMX had a major asset ball out as well. Sixteen-year-old Gilberto Mora, who broke through impressively with Mexico during the Gold Cup and has done the same at club level with Tijuana, scored the league's only goal of the night. Vancouver's American standout Brian White bundled in MLS's final goal, giving a boost to the league's work improving the depth of the USMNT ahead of a huge World Cup year. Substitutions came with regularity, every 30 minutes or so. No heavy tackles were put in, no injuries were reported, both teams put forth effort in attack and a lively sold-out crowd seemed plenty entertained by the spectacle. If you see it as a total waste of time, though, there's some reason for that too – and you'd have some famous company. The biggest star in the league said as much with his actions, as Lionel Messi skipped the three-day festivities in Austin, Texas entirely (along with Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba, who shared many of Messi's best years at FC Barcelona). Both could be suspended for Inter Miami's next match as a result of their absence, a crucial clash against top-of-the-table Cincinnati on Saturday. In one sense Messi's no-show is a needlessly aloof move. The publicity demands on him would have been great, but they always are, and that hasn't stopped him from continuing to be his famously reclusive self. Events like All-Star, as silly as they may seem to the rest of the world, are a fixture of American sports culture. It's existed since the first year of the league and every other major US pro league has one. To effectively scoff at its existence is akin to protesting against the searing heat and bitter cold that accompany MLS's season, or complaining about Boxing Day matches and the resulting holiday-period fixture congestion in England. The conditions may not be ideal, the timing may suck, but it's part of the culture. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion And in that sporting culture where Messi is a natural fixture, big stars like him show up for these games. Michael Jordan played in 13 of them. LeBron James has started all 21 of the ones in which he appeared. Wayne Gretzky played in 18; Sidney Crosby just made his 10th. Shohei Ohtani has taken part in each of the last five All-Star games, even when his health has prevented him from taking part fully. It is not ridiculous for MLS to have an All-Star game, and it is similarly not beyond the pale to expect a player making over $20m per year with the implicit expectation of being the face of the league to take part. Or is it? Unlike those stars of past and present, neither Messi nor Alba made their names in a North American league. It's not like either player is coasting on their names – both have been extremely impressive in MLS. In a way, Messi is showing the league a backhanded form of respect by saving himself for games that actually matter. Even MLS commissioner Don Garber admitted in a press conference before the game that All-Star, while useful to the league from a business standpoint, is not without its flaws for players. 'This is first time we've had all of our CSOs [Chief Soccer Officers] here, all of our CBOs [Chief Business Officers] here, all of our owners here, it is an important mid season break for us,' Garber said, before pointing out that Messi has indeed played nine games in the past 35 days between the Club World Cup and MLS league play, with him going the full 90 minutes in every one. 'Miami's had a schedule that is unlike any other team. Most of our teams had a 10 day break. Miami hasn't. We have to manage through that as a league. At the same time, we do have rules, and we have to manage through that as well.' By 'manage through that,' Garber is hinting at a feeling he said explicitly later on in that press conference: It is time for MLS to re-think the foundations of its All-Star game. The commissioner revealed for the first time a specific per-game number of viewers the league draws for its game broadcasts on average: 120,000. That is not an impressive number, and it represents a near-50% increase on last year, according to Garber. Does continuing to hold an All-Star game as currently presented help boost that number as the league, like all leagues, deals with increasing fixture congestion? It's unlikely. Garber said that the league was still focused on keeping the game competitive, and that changing it up could be as simple as finding a different type of opponent. In the past, the league has hosted games against famous clubs from around the world – and perhaps that could be a reality again. But this push for competitiveness comes as most US leagues are doing the exact opposite. The NBA abandoned the East-West format of old and the game itself seems less and less like real basketball each year. The NFL no longer holds a Pro Bowl at all (A sensible decision, all told, considering the violence inherent in modern American football). MLB is seemingly the only other major league to hold firm – its recent All-Star game was the most-watched among US sports, with viewership up 6% this year. 'I love the All-Star game,' Garber said, 'Most leagues probably do. But how do you get your players to love the All-Star game?' Judging from their comments throughout the week, most MLS players do. But that feeling may be declining, and perhaps it's not as important any more anyway.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez headline Liga MX All-Stars to face MLS
Liga MX has named its squad for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, pitting the two North American leagues against one-another in a midsummer exhibition. James Rodríguez, Sergio Ramos and El Tri starlet Gilberto Mora headline a very strong roster for Liga MX, which will face an MLS selection in Austin on Wednesday, July 23. Advertisement This summer's event will see MLS and Liga MX face off for the fourth time in five All-Star Games, further shifting MLS's approach away from booking European opponents as part of their summer preseason preparations. After MLS won the first clash (in 2022) via a penalty shootout and won the 2023 installment outright 2-1, the Liga MX All-Stars got their first victory last summer in a 4-1 rout. Each league cobbles its All-Star rosters through a variety of means. For MLS, it's a balance of players who are voted in (by fans, media members and active players), selected by the host team's coach (Nico Estevez of Austin FC) and a pair of picks by commissioner Don Garber. For Liga MX, there's even greater variety. Some, including Mora – the youngest player to ever lift an international trophy by virtue of El Tri's Gold Cup triumph – and Mexico striker Henry Martín, were nominated for Mexico's annual Balón de Oro award. Others were named the best player at their position, including Paulinho (forward of the year), Alexis Vega (attacking midfielder), Agustín Palavecino (defensive midfielder), Jesús Gallardo (full back), Willer Ditta (center back) and Kevin Mier (goalkeeper). Another 14 players were selected by Club América coach Andre Jardine, who helms the team after being voted Liga MX coach of the year. Jardine ensured the inclusion of Rodríguez, Ramos, Uruguay international Sebastián Cáceres and U.S. international Alejandro Zendejas. Mexican Football Federation president Mikel Arriola will make the final two player selections in the coming days. To date, seven of Mexico's Gold Cup winners will take part, returning to Texas after having lifted the trophy there this past Sunday night. MLS announced its All-Star squad in late June. Lionel Messi will make his second straight appearance in the spectacle, joined by a less star-fueled roster instead propped up by some of the year's best performers to date. Among the selections are Mexico winger Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano and U.S. international playmaker Diego Luna (who chose to represent the U.S. over Mexico). Advertisement Here is the Liga MX squad to date: GOALKEEPERS Luis Malagón – Club América | Balón de Oro nominee Kevin Mier – Cruz Azul | Goalkeeper of the Year DEFENDERS Sebastián Cáceres – Club América | Coach's Selection Willer Ditta – Cruz Azul | Center Back of the Year Luan García – Toluca | Coach's Selection Jesús Gallardo – Toluca | Fullback of the Year Joaquim Pereira – Tigres UANL | Balón de Oro nominee Sergio Ramos – CF Monterrey | Coach's Selection Israel Reyes – Club América | Coach's Selection Ignacio Rivero – Cruz Azul | Coach's Selection Carlos Rotondi – Cruz Azul | Balón de Oro nominee MIDFIELDERS Roberto Alvarado – Chivas Guadalajara | Coach's Selection Juan Brunetta – Tigres UANL | Coach's Selection Sergio Canales – CF Monterrey | Balón de Oro nominee Rodrigo Dourado – Atlético San Luis | Coach's Selection Érik Lira – Cruz Azul | Balón de Oro nominee Elías Montiel – CF Pachuca | Coach's Selection Gilberto Mora – Club Tijuana | Balón de Oro nominee James Rodríguez – Club León | Coach's Selection Marcel Ruíz – Toluca | Coach's Selection Agustín Palavecino – Necaxa | Defensive Midfielder of the Year Alejandro Zendejas – Club América | Coach's Selection FORWARDS Diber Cambindo – Necaxa | Coach's Selection Hugo Camberos – Chivas Guadalajara | Newcomer of the Year Henry Martín – Club América | Balón de Oro nominee Paulinho – Toluca | Forward of the Year Brian Rodríguez – Club América | Coach's Selection Alexis Vega – Toluca | Attacking Midfielder of the Year
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Teenage sensation Gilberto Mora breaks record in Gold Cup final
Mexico retained their CONCACAF Gold Cup crown on Sunday night with a dramatic 2-1 win over the United States in Houston. While goals from Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez secured a second consecutive title for El Tri, it was 16-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora who truly stole the spotlight. Advertisement The teenager not only started the final but also etched his name into the history books by becoming the youngest player ever to win a senior international tournament. At just 16 years and 265 days old, Mora's achievement surpasses that of Lamine Yamal, who only last summer helped Spain win Euro 2024 at the age of 17 years and 1 day. Before Yamal, the record had been held for decades by the legendary Pelé, who won the 1958 World Cup at 17 years and 249 days. Mora has now surpassed them both. The Club Tijuana prodigy first featured in the quarter-final against Saudi Arabia, before earning starts in both the semi-final and final. He registered an assist for Jiménez's winner against Honduras in the last four, and went on to play 75 composed minutes in the final against the U.S., showing a maturity well beyond his years. FIFA has now officially recognised Mora as the youngest player ever to feature in and win the final of a senior-level international competition. Advertisement His performances have not only cemented his place in Mexican football history but also attracted growing interest from major European clubs. However, any move abroad appears to be on hold for now, with his immediate future likely remaining in Liga MX. Just under a year ago, Yamal's triumph with Spain seemed destined to stand for some time. But Mora's rapid rise has rewritten the record books again, confirming the arrival of yet another teenage talent on the world stage.
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Analysing Gilberto Mora, Mexico's 16-year-old wonderkid who broke a Lamine Yamal record on Sunday
Following the extraordinary rise of Lamine Yamal across the last calendar year, it's easy to feel a bit numb to the tender age at which game-changing footballers are breezing to the top of the modern game. In Gilberto Mora, Mexico might just have unearthed the next. This time last summer, the teenager had yet to play a single minute of senior football. But over the last week, Mora has started three times for his country, tip-tapping between flailing legs with the ball at his feet, his confidence and dribbling ability utterly defying his years. Advertisement On Thursday, he provided a crucial assist for Raul Jimenez, a centre forward more than twice his age, to help Mexico through to the Gold Cup final. Three days later, he played 75 minutes as Javier Aguirre's side won it with a 2-1 victory over the United States, overtaking Yamal and the great Pele as the youngest-ever player to lift an international trophy, aged 16 years and 265 days. It's hard not to sit up and take notice of Mora, his baby-faced exuberance almost comically out of place alongside some of the grizzled veterans around whom he was running. But his performances across the last week, in an unfamiliar midfield role no less, beamed composure and experience beyond his age. Mexico is a vibrant place to play football, stadiums bursting with colour and noise. It's where Mora's free-spirited approach to the game has found a natural home, a slippery winger with touch-tight control who can whip up a crowd with nutmegs and drag-backs, spins and shots from all across the pitch. His breakthrough season with Tijuana has captured the imagination, given his opportunity with the first team after being offered a grant to study at a local school by the club, almost 4,000 kilometres away from his hometown of Tuxtla Gutierrez in the south west. He was just 15 when he trotted onto the pitch for his Liga MX debut in August 2024, bouncing around in a baggy black shirt with the No 251 on his back. But sure enough, just 20 minutes after his introduction, Mora left opposition midfielder Salvador Mariscal behind with a sharp turn, before gliding towards the halfway line and slipping it through to Jaime Alvarez to score. Within two weeks, he would become the youngest goalscorer in Mexican top-flight history, sweeping home after a cross broke kindly to him on the penalty spot against Club Leon. 'I hope he goes on to have a successful career,' said his manager Juan Carlos Osorio after the game. 'This is a triumph for the academy and for Gilberto's family.' Since then, Mora has racked up over 1,000 minutes of game time, commentators perking up when 'El chamaco Mora' — the kid, Mora — picks up the ball out on the left. Another fond phrase from the gantry is 'Encara, Mora' — still, Mora —just as we heard over and over when Lionel Messi scored that iconic solo goal against Getafe back in 2007. This 16-year-old has that unerring ability to hold onto the ball for so much longer than it looks like he should. Mora was fouled almost twice per game last season, his quick feet and low centre of gravity helping him to wriggle around challenges and keep his balance with defenders snapping at his heels. Predominantly playing off the left at club level, Mora is not afraid to drive towards the penalty area and strike through the ball with his right foot, taking 21 shots from that side of the pitch. Here against Santos Laguna, for example, he receives the pass out wide with the defence backtracking, quick to face up to his full-back before chopping inside and hammering a low shot towards the near post. He can also hit them with his left, as he made quite clear in that Gold Cup final against the United States. Popping up on the opposite side of the pitch, Mora does not lack confidence as he demands the ball from full-back Jorge Sanchez before scurrying inside and letting fly from distance. Matt Freese steps across to make the save, but not without spilling a strike that was swerving through the air. His technical ability means that at club level, Tijuana often leave him out wide, an outlet for the team to move forward quickly. He received close to 8.0 progressive passes per game last season, the fourth-highest rate in the squad, a winger who you can sling passes out to and expect them to bring the ball down, burst into a dangerous area and make things happen. This curled effort against Pumas flashes wide, but Mora's first touch, smooth swivelling motion around the defender and far-post shot illustrate the danger he can create after a quick switch of play. That said, it was Mora's willingness to drift across the pitch to pick up the ball that stood out across his busy performances for the national team. Despite his slender figure, he was deployed as a midfielder in a 4-3-3 in each of the Gold Cup knockout games in a left-sided No 8 role, with Edson Alvarez anchoring things in the middle. He more than held his own without the ball, winning 13 of his 18 ground duels, but Mora was at his best when given freedom to drift into the pockets of space behind the opposition midfield. Advertisement It's how he picked up his first goal contribution for his country, as shown by the series of images below. As Johan Vasquez carries the ball out of defence in frame one, Mora has drifted inside to allow left-back Mateo Chavez to push on. Meanwhile, forward Alexis Vega has dropped from his advanced position, dragging Honduras centre-back Denil Maldonado out of the back four. Mora spots the opportunity to attack that space and latches onto Vega's pass in frame three, before dancing around the challenge of defender Julian Jose Martinez and sliding it into the box for Jimenez to hit first time. Not just his self-assurance, it was Mora's versatility, alongside his personality to continually show for the ball under pressure, that shone brightly on the international stage. There are, of course, areas to be worked on — his decision-making in the final third, strength in shoulder-to-shoulder duels — but they are understandable, and refinable, at such a young age. 'Surely he will be competing in Europe,' said Tijuana's academy director Ignacio Ruvalcaba told Mexican sports newspaper Record earlier this month. 'I'd like to see him here for a little longer, maybe a year, and that he goes to the World Cup and then makes the leap.' If his first outings for the national team are anything to go by, then Mora shouldn't have too many problems making the step up. (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
