Major League Soccer (MLS) on Wednesday announced the members of its 2022 XI, which does not expect a CF Montreal player to be present.
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The Philadelphia Union, the best team in the Eastern Conference that year, took a majority of the positions. Voted Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake has logically taken his place in the net of the MLS star lineup. Notably, he managed 15 shutouts.
Philadelphia have conceded just 26 goals in 34 games in 2022, and defensemen Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner are largely to blame for that. The Norwegian and the German are in a first selection on the eleven of the year.
Center back Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) is the third member of that line of defense to rank among the best in the MLS for the fourth straight season. In the history of the circuit, only Chris Armas, Landon Donovan, Marco Etcheverry and Robbie Keane have accomplished this feat.
Midfielder Daniel Gazdag, author of 22 goals and 10 assists, completes Union’s nominations. The squad also includes Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC), Luciano Acosta (Cincinnati FC) and Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC).
Up front it’s a mix of youth and experience. Mexican winger Carlos Vela (Los Angeles FC), forwards Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas) and Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati) complete this group.
Eleven of the Year was determined by votes from members of the MLS media, players and coaches.