David Beckham and Landon Donovan Named to the MLS All-Star First XI

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CARSON, Calif. -- Two LA Galaxy players have been named to the MLS All-Star FirstXI, as announced this morning by Major League Soccer. David Beckhamand Landon Donovan will represent MLS when they take on West HamUnited on Thursday, July 24 in the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game atBMO Field in Toronto, Canada. The game will be aired live on ESPNand Telefutura, starting at 4 p.m.
Only the New England Revolution, with three, had more players namedto the All-Star Game than the Galaxy. The First XI was determinedthrough a combination of online fan balloting, as well as votingfrom coaches and general managers, players and the media, with allfour groups counting an even 25 percent.
Donovan led all players in combined voting en route to beingselected to the All-Star team for the eighth consecutive season.The all-time leading scorer for the U.S. National Team, and theyoungest player in MLS history to score 75 goals, Donovan leads MLSwith 11 goals this season while his seven assists place him in atie for second place in the league. He has recorded either a goalor an assist in nine of the 11 games in which he has played thisseason, including scoring two or more goals in a game four timesalready. He has played in the All-Star game six times during hisMLS career, scoring five goals while adding four assists.
Beckham, who finished second in the voting, was named to the MLSAll-Star team for the first time in his career. The 33-year oldmidfielder has played in and started 14 of the Galaxy's 15 gamesthis season, scoring five goals while adding six assists. His fivegoals place him fourth on the team while the six assists tie himfor third in MLS.
On July 15, New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol, the headcoach of the MLS All-Stars, and his staff will select fiveadditional All-Stars, who will join two Commissioner selections tocomplete the 18-man game-day MLS roster. Nicol earned the honor ofcoaching the MLS side by leading his team to the highest points pergame average in the League through games on June 29.
The First XI is not necessarily the starting lineup. Nicol willselect the starters based on player availability and tacticalconsiderations. If First XI selections are unavailable due toinjury, international duty or other commitments, Nicol will selectalternates for the game day roster, but all First XI players areAll-Stars.
The Galaxy will be back in action tonight, Thursday, July 10, atthe Home Depot Center when they host Chivas USA in the secondinstallment of the Honda SuperClasico at 8 p.m. The game will betelevised live on ESPN2 and can be heard in English on lagalaxy.comand in Spanish on ESPN Deportes Radio 1330 AM KWKW. For moreinformation about this game or to order tickets, please visitwww.lagalaxy.com or call 877-3GALAXY.