SANDY, Utah (Saturday, July 18, 2015) – Major League Soccer has announced that Real Salt Lake DF Tony Beltran has been named to the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Team by Colorado Rapids and MLS All-Star Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni. The AT&T MLS All-Stars will face Tottenham Hotspur, on Wednesday, July 29 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., at 7 p.m. MT. The summer showcase will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 and UniMas.
Beltran, 27, has earned his second bid as an MLS All-Star after being named to the squad in 2013. This season he has started in 19 of Real Salt Lake’s 20 matches. The RSL iron man has appeared in 105 of the club’s 122 MLS matches over the last four seasons, making him one of the most dependable players in the league. In addition to his eight seasons in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake, he also has three caps with the U.S. National Team.
“As an organization we are happy that Tony is getting this recognition," Real Salt Lake Technical Director Craig Waibel said. "Tony’s quality is obvious. He is one of the best 1v1 defenders in our league. His consistency and his character make him so reliable and a good leader on this team.”
The full 23-man roster includes the Fan XI and two Commissioner’s Picks, which were announced on Monday, and the 10 additional players that Mastroeni selected today.
Beltran is joined by RSL GK Nick Rimando, who was voted in the Fan XI.
The full roster includes goalkeepers Rimando and David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps FC); defenders Beltran, DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC), Drew Moor (Colorado Rapids) and Chris Tierney (New England Revolution); midfielders Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Steven Gerrard (LA Galaxy), Kaka (Orlando City SC), Frank Lampard (New York City FC) and Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City); and forwards Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew SC), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) and David Villa (New York City FC).
Sounders FC forward Obafemi Martins was named to the Fan XI, but was not named to the 23-man gameday roster due to injury.
Real Salt Lake faces the Houston Dynamo on Saturday at 8 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets to the Open Cup match can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
