RSL Teenager Zavier Gozo First-Ever Utah Native Selected to MLS All-Star Game First XI
MLS Real Salt Lake

RSL Teenager Zavier Gozo First-Ever Utah Native Selected to MLS All-Star Game First XI

Published on June 5, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


NEW YORK & HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake, in conjunction with Major League Soccer, today announced the First XI players named to the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime, an 11-man group featuring Utah's very own Zavier Gozo. Selected through a combined vote of MLS fans, players, and media members, 19-year-old attacker Gozo and the First XI highlights the standout performers from the first part of the MLS regular season. The 11 players include icons like Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF) and Son Heung-Min (LAFC), alongside breakout young talents such as Gozo and Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire FC).

"It's pretty cool to be the first-ever Utah player to be named an All-Star in MLS," said Gozo, the third RSL homegrown player to earn MLS All-Star recognition (Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera). "I'm very grateful to all the fans, players and media across the league for recognizing me with this prestigious honor."

"I look forward to hopefully having a few of my RSL teammates join me in Charlotte, and I'll be very excited to get back on the field and get things going again later this Summer."

The 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime will be played in Charlotte, N.C., pitting the MLS All-Stars against a team of All-Stars from Mexico's top soccer league, LIGA MX, on Wednesday, July 29 (6 p.m. MT) at Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium.

2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime First XI:

- Goalkeeper (1): Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)

- Left Back (1): Anthony Markanich (Minnesota United FC)

- Center Backs (2): Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire FC) and Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)

- Right Back (1): Andy Najar (Nashville SC)

- Defensive Midfielder (1): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

- Attacking Midfielders (2): Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake) and Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)

- Forwards (3): Hugo Cuypers (Chicago Fire FC), Son Heung-Min (LAFC), and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

One of three domestic products (Gozo, Markanich, Schwake), West Valley-born and Eagle mountain-raised Gozo becomes the youngest-ever RSL representative at the annual MLS All-Star Game at just 19 years old, surpassing Diego Luna's 20-year-old selection at the 2024 All-Star game in Columbus. Gozo also becomes just the second teenager to be selected to an MLS All-Star Game in the last five editions, joining Obed Vargas (2025).

Gozo's six goals in 14 games this season have him tied atop the 2026 RSL Golden Boot leaderboard with rookie Sergi Solans, with last year's USA U-20 star Gozo leading the Claret-and-Cobalt way in goal contributions with 11 (6 goals, 5 assists) entering the FIFA World Cup Break. Etching his name into the record books on multiple occasions, Gozo became the youngest in RSL's 22-year history to record two or more goals in a game back on May 13 in a 3-0 home victory over Houston, at just 19 years and 54 days old; that brace eclipsed the previous mark, set nearly three years ago, held by current teammate Luna, who was 19 years and 311 days old back on July 15, 2023.

Gozo's pursuit of Major League Soccer's all-time record for game-winning goal contributions by a teenager is still in effect, with this year's total of five combined game-clinching goals/assists placing him second all-time, the Utah native remaining three GWCs shy of Diego Fagundez' mark of eight game-winning contributions in 31 games for the 2013 New England Revolution.

Gozo's 2026 MLS All-Star selection is the most recent of the Utah Club's 22-year history, joining Diego Luna (2025, 2024), Cristian Arango (2024), Justen Glad (2024) and Damir Kreilach (2021) from the Pablo Mastroeni era. Previous RSL players honored with MLS All-Star selections include Nick Rimando (2019, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010), Kyle Beckerman (2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007), Tony Beltran (2015, 2013), Fabian Espindola (2012), Jamison Olave (2012, 2011, 2010), Javier Morales (2010, 2009), Will Johnson (2009) and Eddie Pope (2007, 2005), while Jason Kreis was named to an MLS "select" team in 2005 that traveled to face Real Madrid.

To complete the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime roster, the remaining 15 selections will consist of 13 players chosen by MLS All-Star head coach Dean Smith of the host club, Charlotte FC, and two players selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. The full MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime roster will be announced at a later date.

The highly anticipated match marks the first-ever All-Star Game played at Bank of America Stadium, and will be broadcast live on MLS on Apple TV in English, Spanish, and French.

Tickets for the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime and the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T are on sale at MLSsoccer.com/AllStar.

RSL players, coaches and staff are now on hiatus until June 17, when a summer preseason will resume in its Herriman-based Zions Bank Training Center. RSL is expected to play a trio of preseason matches headlined by English Championship side Burnley F.C. on July 15th at America First Field. Fieldlies scheduled for June 27 and July 8 will be announced at a later date. The Claret-and-Cobalt will return to 2026 MLS reg. season action on Wed., July 22, at Los Angeles Football Club. RSL also travels to Portland on Sat., July 25 and St. Louis on Sat., August 1 in Major League Soccer action prior to a trio of Leagues Cup contests at home.

The fourth-year MLS vs. Liga MX tournament sees RSL host the legendary Tigres UANL on Tues., August 4 at America First Field, kicking off a run that also sees Atlante CF on Sat., August 8 and FC Juarez on Tues., August 11, prior to home MLS contests against Minnesota United on Sat., August 15 and FC Dallas on Wed., August 19. Those five home games in 16 days could be critical to RSL's 2026 campaigns on various fronts, with Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni's side boasting seven wins in eight home matches so far in 2026.

Please visit www.RSL.com/tickets for more information on RSL's friendly, MLS, and Leagues Cup slates.

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Major League Soccer Stories from June 5, 2026


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