Ralston Added to All-Star Team

Will Make Seventh Appearence on MLS All-Star Roster

July 19, 2008

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Revs’ midfielder Steve Ralston was one of three added to the MLS All-Star Team to replace the trio of players – including New England defender Michael Parkhurst – who were called in to the U.S. National Team for the Summer Olympics.

Revs' midfielder Steve Ralston was selected to the MLS All-Star team. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia)

Ralston, along with Chivas USA’s Jonathan Bornstein and FC Dallas’ Juan Toja, were added to the team after Parkhurst, Columbus’ Robbie Rogers and Chivas USA’s Sacha Kljestan were listed on the Olympic roster for Beijing, forcing them to miss the All-Star Game.

The MLS All-Stars, which also include Matt Reis and Shalrie Joseph and will be coached by Steve Nicol, will face West Ham United of the EPL Thursday, July 24, at BMO Field in Toronto.

Ralston, 34, leads the Revolution in both goals (6) and assists (4) in 12 MLS games this year, earning him his seventh MLS All-Star nod. He also owns the league’s career records for appearances (349), starts (346), minutes played (30,863), assists (125) and game-winning assists (36).

For the second consecutive year, Nicol and his staff will guide the MLS All-Stars after New England secured the league’s highest points per game average as of June 29. The Revolution finished the first half with a 10-4-3 record, leading the league with 33 points.

With the changes, the 18-man MLS All-Star active roster includes: goalkeepers Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo) and Matt Reis (New England Revolution); defenders Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jim Brennan (Toronto FC), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards) and Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew); midfielders David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Christian Gomez (Colorado Rapids), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Steve Ralston (New England Revolution) and Juan Toja (FC Dallas); and forwards Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas) and Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy).