MLS All-Star Game: These FC Cincinnati players deserve consideration

There's little doubt of the star-power on FC Cincinnati's 2023 roster. As far as this year's Major League Soccer All-Star Game is concerned, it's likely a matter of how many FC Cincinnati players get recognized for it.

The 2023 MLS All-Star Game is set for July 19 in Washington, D.C., at Audi Field as he league's finest will face English Premier League runners-up, Arsenal FC. Twenty-six players will be named to the All-Star roster, and a voting process involved players, media members and fans will fill 12 of the spots.

MLS All-Star manager and D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney will select 12 additional players. MLS Commissioner Don Garber will add two picks.

FC Cincinnati saw Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez participate in the midsummer showcase last year and with FCC pacing MLS on a 12-1-4 record (40 points), several of the club's players will have convincing arguments to join in the festivities.

But which players will see their arguments win out? With the naming of all-stars usually ending up as equal parts merit based and popularity contest, there are a number of variables that could keep deserving "Gary's" out of the high-profile summer friendly.

Here's who we think should end up at Audi Field for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game:

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(MLS has called for media voters to consider personnel options within the context of a 4-3-3 formation (plus a goalkeeper))

He'll be there

• Luciano Acosta, MF − Acosta, FC Cincinnati's captain, is the attacking catalyst for what has so far been the best MLS side in 2023. With eight goals and two assists, Acosta is in line for an All-Star nod for the second consecutive season. The attacking midfield positions are crowded with talent. Acosta might need an assist from All-Star manager Wayne Rooney to get to D.C., but that won't matter. It will be a deserved selection for Acosta regardless of how he's named to represent the league.

He deserves to be there

• Obinna Nwobodo, MF − Nwobodo might not be a brand name in MLS circles but he should be. He has a captain's chair right next to Acosta's in the engine room of the FC Cincinnati midfield. He's a ball hawk and a disruptor of the highest order. If Nwobodo isn't your pick as the best defensive midfielder in MLS, he needs to be your "1B."

Voters need to take long, hard looks at them

• Alvaro Barreal, LB − Barreal might be more left wing-back than traditional left back but he's been consistent defensively and in the attack for FC Cincinnati. His counting stats (two goals, five assists) are tracking close to or ahead of his 2022 pace, and that was a career year for him in both categories (five goals, nine assists in '22). He also has a joint-team leading four Team of the Matchday honors. Barreal's destined for European soccer eventually. It would be a shame if a future transfer is the moment MLS-types recognize Barreal's abilities rather than earning that recognition via some kind of league-wide honor while he's still in the league.
• Yerson Mosquera, CB − The Wolverhampton Wanderers FC loanee has been everything FC Cincinnati could have hoped for in 2023 and then some. If you listen closely, you're probably hearing well-connected people say he won't be around beyond this season at FC Cincinnati because his parent club is likely to consider him ready for a step up in the soccer world. Whether that's with Wolves or another loan in a bigger league, Mosquera's proved himself to be an elite center back in MLS.

• Matt Miazga, CB − Miazga wasn't called up to the USMNT for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup by accident. He's lifted the performance and attitude of FC Cincinnati's back line since returning to MLS from Chelsea FC last summer and he's a big part of the reason FC Cincinnati's sitting atop MLS.

Won't make it but check out his stats

• Roman Celentano, GK − The people who love to hound Celentano about his ability to distribute the ball (which has improved) should be aware Celentano is second in MLS in shutouts (eight), fifth in saves (58), fourth in save percentage (79.4%), and has three more wins than any other goalkeeper. Also, if you want to harp on distribution, there's more to it than knocking it long, which is where Celentano sometimes still air-mails a ball. FC Cincinnati has had next to no problems building out of the back, and Celentano is very composed with the ball at his feet. Not every club is so lucky.

But for injuries

• Sergio Santos, F − I'm not saying he was definitely on an All-Star trajectory,. What I am saying is he'd built the foundation of an argument that would have been hard to dismiss − but for injuries. Santos had five goal contributions (four goals, one assist) through nine matches to start the season. He was doing the job Brenner Souza da Silva wasn't, and he might have been close to the team lead in goals by now. But that didn't happen. Santos went cold for three matches after scoring April 22 versus Portland Timbers. Then he suffered an injury May 27 against Colorado Rapids. He hasn't played since. End of discussion. It would have been a very longshot argument anyway.
• Nick Hagglund, CB − Nick Hagglund? Yes, Nick Hagglund! Why not? He's a dogged, desperate defender and leaves absolutely everything on the field for his hometown club. But he hasn't played since May 20 and, consequently, 12 matches isn't enough of a sample size for the kind of unglamorous argument he'd need to make But FC Cincinnati's center backs have been lights out. Hagglund's a big part of the team's success in 2023. Don't get too fired up if you stand in firm opposition to this. It was another longshot possibility that faded.