Clint Dempsey earns All Star nod based on reputation

MLS All Star Head Coach Dommic Kinnear and MLS Commissioner Don Garber's selections for the MLS All Star Game against Arsenal were announced during ESPN's coverage of Montreal Impact versus New York City FC. Clint Dempsey joins Jordan Morris and Aaron Kovar as Seattle Sounders players at the All Star festivities. Kovar and Morris are part of the Homegrown Game against Mexico's U20s.

Dempsey is clearly still a popular player. His jersey is the second most purchased in the league, but he is not the best forward on his own team. And he is least effective of the 2016 forwards on the roster. Somehow Fenando Adi was not selected.

The match is July 28th at 7:30 PM. San Jose's Avaya Stadium hosts the match which will be on ESPN and UniMas. The Sounders do not have a midweek game that week. They play Sunday the 24th at Sporting Kansas City and return home the 31st hosting the LA Galaxy.

MLS 26-man gameday roster follows;

Goalkeepers (2): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)

Defenders (8): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution), Liam Ridgewell (Portland Timbers),Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union), Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire), Kendall Waston(Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

Midfielders (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Kaká (Orlando City SC), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC), Wil Trapp(Columbus Crew SC)

Forwards (7): Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC), Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact), David Villa(New York City FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)