LAFC and Major League Soccer today announced that Dénis Bouanga and Ryan Hollingshead were among the 26 players honored as Major League Soccer unveiled the complete roster for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target.
The 2023 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target will be played on Wednesday, July 19, and feature the MLS All-Stars taking on Arsenal FC, the renowned 13-time English league champions, at Audi Field, home of D.C. United. The roster was selected through a combination of fan, player, and media voting (12 players), designations by All-Star head coach Wayne Rooney of host club D.C. United (12 players), and a pair of selections by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
Dénis Bouanga, 28, has put the league on notice this season with 11 goals and two assists across 16 games this season. His 11 goals are the second-most in MLS in 2023, behind only Hany Mukhtar (13). This season, Dénis has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchdays 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, and was named Player of the Matchday for Matchday 7.
The Gabon international joined LAFC on August 5, 2022 and helped lead the team to a Supporters’ Shield and 2023 MLS Cup title, scoring twice in the team’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs run last season.
Bouanga has left his mark internationally as well, earning 2023 Concacaf Champions League Golden Boot honors after scoring seven goals and registering four assists during LAFC’s run to the final while also being selected to the competition’s Best XI squad. Overall, Bouanga has registered 18 goals and seven assists in 24 appearances across all competitions for LAFC.
Ryan Hollingshead, 32, earns his first ever All-Star selection in 2023, as he has one goal and one assist through 17 games this season, helping LAFC to a Concacaf Champions League final berth. An MLS veteran, Hollingshead will make his first trip to the All-Star game after scoring 25 career goals and adding 17 assists in 240 career matches across 10 seasons. His 25 regular season goals is currently the second most goals scored by an MLS defender from 2010 – 2023, behind only Graham Zusi (30 goals).
The U.S. native was the recipient of the 2017 MLS Humanitarian of the Year, has won two Supporters’ Shields (2016 with FC Dallas and 2022 with LAFC), and helped LAFC bring home the 2022 MLS Cup.
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)
The MLS All-Star Game and MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T 5G at Audi Field will be available to watch in more than 100 countries and regions in English, Spanish, and French on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass now through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com.
