FC Dallas forward Ricardo Pepi, slated to show off his skills at the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday, Aug. 25, will get to show off his literal skills in a special competition the day before.
The 2021 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T 5G will take place Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. CT (broadcast via FS1 and TUDN) at Banc of California Stadium.
The competition pits eight MLS players against eight Liga MX players in a five-skill competition testing various elements of their respective games. Each team is comprised of two goalkeepers and six field players.
The roster of eight MLS players, all part of the 28-player squad the league is taking to Los Angeles, includes:
- Pedro Gallese (Orlando City SC, Goalkeeper)
- Javier “Chicharito” Hernández (LA Galaxy, Forward)
- Nani (Orlando City SC, Forward)
- Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas, Forward)
- Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders FC, Forward)
- Matt Turner (New England Revolution, Goalkeeper)
- Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club, Forward)
- Lucas Zelarayán (Columbus Crew SC, Forward)
Liga MX will counter with the following eight players, including four representatives from three different norteño teams with sizable Texas fan bases:
- Rogelio Funes Mori (C.F. Monterrey, Forward)
- Jonathan Rodríguez (Cruz Azul, Forward)
- Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres UANL, Forward)
- Rubens Sambueza (Deportivo Toluca F.C., Midfielder)
- Diego Valdés (Santos Laguna, Midfielder)
- Orbelín Pineda (Cruz Azul, Midfielder)
- Alfredo Talavera (Pumas UNAM, Goalkeeper)
- Nahuel Guzmán (Tigres UANL, Goalkeeper)
According to MLSSoccer.com’s coverage of the event, the five categories (all sponsored) test various components of a player’s game.
Those include:
- Shooting Challenge presented by AT&T 5G, in which players shoot from distance at targets with varying values;
- Touch Challenge presented by Old Spice, in which players will collect and control balls firing in from different angles;
- Cross & Volley Challenge presented by AT&T 5G, in which players will team up to send in potential assists and then finish them — as the description notes, “the more style, the more points;”
- Passing Challenge presented by Crest, in which players attempt to pick out targets spread across the field; and
- Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette, which is billed as “the final chance for players to earn points for their teams,” with the pressure of a timer and trying to hit the crossbar rather than what players are usually aiming for.
While the stakes are of the bragging rights variety, the MLS vs. Liga MX component adds a dimension to it, as Liga MX has a reputation among observers of both leagues as the more technically proficient. Pepi and the rest of the MLS squad will have an opportunity to dispel that notion — for at least a night.
