Evander selected alongside 11 other participants to represent MLS in challenge against LIGA MX’s all-stars
PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer announced today that Portland Timbers midfielder Evander has been named to participate in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge. The Brazilian midfielder will join the best players from MLS and LIGA MX in a test of soccer skills at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, July 23, at the 2024 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T. The event will broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish.
Evander will join nine other MLS All-Stars as well as one MLS Great and one NWSL player to participate in challenges that include the crossbar challenge, touch challenge and cross/volley challenge. Evander was named to the 2024 MLS All-Star Game on July 1 and will compete against the best players of LIGA MX on Wednesday, July 24 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. The MLS All-Star roster was selected through a combination of fan, player, and media voting (12 players), designations by MLS All-Star Head Coach Wilfried Nancy (16 players), and a pair of selections by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
The Brazilian midfielder earned his first MLS All-Star recognition in just his second year with Portland. Evander signed with the Timbers as a Designated Player ahead of the 2023 season and has since tallied 20 goals and 17 assists in 46 appearances across his two years with the club. In his breakout 2024 campaign, Evander leads the Timbers in points (34) with 11 goals and 12 assists through 19 matches played. His 12 assists are currently tied for the third most in the league. With a goal and an assist on Saturday’s 3-0 win over Real Salt Lake, he surpassed Diego Valeri for most games with multiple goal contributions in a single season in club history with his eighth in the 2024 campaign.
Evander’s selection marks Portland’s first in an MLS All-Star Game since Diego Chara received the honor in 2019. Overall, Evander is the ninth Portland Timber to be named an MLS All-Star, following Chara (2019), Diego Valeri (2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013), Darlington Nagbe (2016), Liam Ridgewell (2016, 2014), Will Johnson (2014, 2013), Donovan Ricketts (2013), Rodney Wallace (2013), and Jack Jewsbury (2011).
The MLS All-Star Game presented by Target and MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T at Lower.com Field will be available to watch in English, Spanish, and French on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass now through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com.
2024 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Roman Bürki (St. Louis CITY SC / Coach’s Selection), Maarten Paes (FC Dallas / Voted in)
DEFENDERS (1): Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati / Voted In), Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF / Voted In), Evander (Portland Timbers / Coach’s Selection), Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Coach’s Selection), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy / Voted In)
FORWARDS / WINGERS (2): Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC / Coach’s Selection), Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernández (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
MLS Greats (1): Sacha Kljestan
NWSL FORWARD (1): Diana Ordoñez
