Zavier Gozo Shines in Inaugural MLS All-Star Skills Challenge Appearance

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Tuesday, July 28, 2026) - The 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T delivered a memorable night of competition at Truist Field, as MLS and LIGA MX All-Stars showcased their talent across five events. Record-setting performances from Thomas Müller and Evander highlighted an action-packed evening, while Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream, Orlando City SC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and Necaxa's Javier Ruiz also claimed titles before the LIGA MX All-Stars capped the night by winning the inaugural MLS vs LIGA MX All-Star Relay Challenge presented by AT&T.

MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge Presented by Gillette 
Necaxa and LIGA MX All-Star Javier Ruiz captured the MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette, defeating Real Salt Lake standout Zavier Gozo in the championship round. En route to the final Gozo swept Tigres midfielder Gorriarán 3-0 in the opening round, foreshadowing what could be a Claret-and-Cobalt victory when the two sides meet in the opening match of Leagues Cup on August 4th at America First Field. In the semifinal round Gozo narrowly escaped North Texas SC’s of MLS NEXT Pro Eduard Nys claiming a 3-2 win. Representing MLS in the final Gozo fell short, failing to hit the woodwork in a swift 15 second final round. 

Ruiz opened the competition with a victory over famed soccer creator Celine Dept in the opening heat (WATCH HERE). In Heat 2, Cincinnati stars Evander and NFL legend Chad Ochocinco squared off, with the former Bengals wide receiver delivering a spirited performance before falling to FC Cincinnati's star midfielder ( WATCH HERE). Ruiz continued his impressive run through the bracket before defeating Gozo in the final to secure the Crossbar Challenge title.

MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge Presented by AT&T
The 2026 All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T kicked off with YouTube superstar FaZe Rug recording an impressive 22-point performance, but the competition quickly intensified as Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Thomas Müller delivered a record-setting 79-point round to establish a new all-time mark (WATCH HERE ). LIGA MX All-Stars Juan Brunetta (47 points) and José Paradela (59 points) each mounted strong challenges before FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander, the previous record holder, produced a dramatic finish. Needing a near-perfect round, Evander matched Müller's record with 79 points, hitting the moving target before tying the score with his final shot to cap a thrilling competition (WATCH HERE).

MLS All-Star Passing Challenge Presented by Dawn
Charlotte FC defender and USMNT captain Tim Ream captured the MLS All-Star Passing Challenge presented by Dawn with a dominant performance in front of his home crowd in Charlotte. Ream opened the competition by defeating LIGA MX All-Star Elías Montiel in the preliminary round (WATCH HERE) before advancing to the semifinals. On the opposite side of the bracket, LAFC forward Son Heung-min edged acclaimed actor Danny Ramirez in a closely contested opening-round matchup ( WATCH HERE), then fell to Ream in the semifinals. New England Revolution midfielder and four-time MLS All-Star Carles Gil showcased his passing ability by defeating LIGA MX All-Star Carlos Rodríguez to earn a place in the final. Ream capped his standout performance by defeating Gil in the championship matchup to claim the MLS All-Star Passing Challenge title (WATCH HERE).

MLS All-Star Goalie Wars Presented by Old Spice               
Orlando City SC and Canada men's national team goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau captured the MLS All-Star Goalie Wars presented by Old Spice, defeating Houston Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Pedro Cruz in an exciting final. Crépeau opened the competition with a hard-fought victory over New York City FC goalkeeper and fellow FIFA World Cup veteran Matt Freese to advance to the next round (WATCH HERE ). On the opposite side of the bracket, three-time MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars champion Pedro Cruz defeated Will Mackay in the preliminary round before edging Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno in a dramatic golden-goal semifinal to earn a place in the final. In the championship matchup, experience prevailed as Crépeau raced to a 3-1 lead and held off Cruz to secure the title (WATCH HERE).

MLS vs. LIGA MX Relay Challenge Presented by AT&T
The LIGA MX All-Stars claimed victory over the MLS All-Stars in the inaugural MLS All-Star Relay Challenge presented by AT&T. The LIGA MX squad of Fernando Gorriarán, Elías Montiel, Javier Ruiz, Federico Pereira, Carlos Moreno, Carlos Rodríguez, José Paradela and Juan Brunetta completed the relay in 1:34 (WATCH HERE), edging the MLS team of Evander, Zavier Gozo, Matt Freese, Petar Musa, Thomas Müller, Carles Gil and Tim Ream.