Sports stats



MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake DF Tony Beltran Named to the 2015 MLS All-Star Team

July 18, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


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 22-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 22-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.

TONY BELTRAN Q&A

Q - What does it mean to you to be named to the All-Star Team?

Tony Beltran - "To be named to the All-Star Team, to represent my club and my league is a tremendous honor, and one I am very excited for. I must thank the men around me, for without them and their tireless efforts for our club and for each other, this would not be possible. Any minutes I play will be for my coaches and my teammates; and as always I will give everything to best represent this club in the manner it deserves."

Q - Does it feel any different this time than when you were named an All-Star in 2013?

Tony Beltran - "Only situationally does this feel different. In 2013 I was with the USMNT at the Gold Cup, and when I was selected, I was very pleased but of course focusing on the task at hand of winning that tournament. In the present I have been putting so much focus in at RSL, that I have not given any thought to this possibility. And now until I board the plane to Denver, my focus will remain here with my club. Only then will I start to think and prepare for everything that will be forthcoming."

Q - What are you looking forward to the most about the All-Star Game?

Tony Beltran - "I am most looking forward to the opportunity to play alongside the other All Stars that have been selected. These men are my peers, but they are also great players and men I admire for their influence on league play. It will be an honor to learn from them and compete beside them. Also the chance to be able to work under Pablo Mastroeni. He was a great contributor to this league as a player, a USMNT legend, and someone I grew up watching and admiring"

Q - What can you say about facing Tottenham Hotspur?

Tony Beltran - "Tottenham is a team that I have enjoyed watching over the years. An obvious side of quality. It will be a great enjoyment for me to be able to test my abilities versus theirs. I look forward to the opportunity and the challenge."

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from July 18, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central