Major League Soccer announced its Best XI for the 2019 season, and it's an all-American defense with the league's top three players leading the attack. The squad is in a 3-4-3 formation, and highly attacking with sure-fire league MVP Carlos Vela up top, joined by two other league superstars. Here's a look at the lineup:
Goalkeeper:
- Vito Mannone, Minnesota United
Defenders:
- Walker Zimmerman, LAFC
- Miles Robinson, Atlanta United
- Ike Opara, Minnesota United
Midfielders:
- Alejandro Pozuelo, Toronto FC
- Maxi Moralez, NYCFC
- Carles Gil, New England Revolution
- Eduardo Atuesta, LAFC
Forwards:
- Carlos Vela, LAFC
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic, LA Galaxy
- Josef Martinez, Atlanta United
The United States leads the way with three players, with Defender of the Year Ike Opara featured. The country with the second-most players in the squad is Spain with Pozuelo and Gil. It's hard to complain about any of those selections because the are all well-deserving. Players like NYCFC's Heber get left out but he wasn't going to beat out the likes of Vela, Ibrahimovic and Martinez up top.
Out of all of the players that are on the list, six of them are still playing with the MLS conference finals set for Tuesday and Wednesday. The Seattle Sounders are the only team remaining that doesn't feature a player on the team. Zimmerman, Atuesta, Vela and the rest of LAFC take on Seattle on Tuesday. You can find our match preview here.
Pozuelo and Toronto FC go to Atlanta United to take on Robinson and Martinez on Wednesday, and the winners of the matches will meet on Nov. 10 in MLS Cup 2019. The final will be played at the home stadium of the team that had the most points in the regular season.
