FC Cincinnati: Luciano Acosta becomes the 1st MLS All-Star in club history
Pat Brennan
The latest chapter in a season of renewed strength and relevance for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer is the confirmation of Luciano Acosta the first MLS All-Star in club history.
Acosta, 28, was named to his first MLS All-Star team for this season's 10-assist, six-goal contribution to a surprising FC Cincinnati turnaround that has the club battling for the playoffs.
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The 10 assists matches his output in that category from last season (31 appearances). He's also just one goal shy of matching his 2021 output of seven.
Those stats have lodged Acosta firmly in the Most Valuable Player debate as of midseason, but for now he'll claim a permanent place in FC Cincinnati lore as the club's first-ever All-Star.
“First thought is that I am very happy to be an MLS All-Star and represent FCC" Acosta said in a team news release, "and second is thanks to my family and my teammates who always support me and give me strength, this is for and because of them, and I will represent Cincy as it deserves.”
The MLS All-Star roster was selected through a combination of fan, player, and media voting (12 players), designations by All-Star head coach Adrian Heath of host club Minnesota United FC (12 players), and a pair of selections by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
The Enquirer participated in the media portion of the voting process.
This year's All-Star game will be staged Aug. 10 in St. Paul, Minnesota at Allianz Field, home of Minnesota United FC.
Like last year, the format of the game will pit the MLS All-Stars against a team of Liga MX All-Stars representing Mexican's top-flight soccer league.
Acosta joins a 26-player roster for the league's showpiece, midsummer match.
2022 MLS All-Star roster
Goalkeepers (3): Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC)
Defenders (8): Julián Araujo (LA Galaxy), Alexander Callens (New York City FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Kamal Miller (CF Montréal), Diego Palacios (LAFC), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Midfielders (7): Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati),Sebastián Driussi | Austin FC), Carles Gil (New England Revolution), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew), Emanuel Reynoso (Minnesota United FC), Ilie Sánchez (LAFC)
Forwards/Wingers (8): Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Valentín “Taty” Castellanos (New York City FC), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Taxiarchis “Taxi” Fountas (D.C. United), Javier “Chicharito” Hernández (LA Galaxy), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Raúl Ruidíaz (Seattle Sounders FC), Carlos Vela (LAFC)
Liga MX announced the first 14 of representatives for the All-Star Game in June, a group headlined by Tigres' André-Pierre Gignac and six players from Atlas FC, the Guadalajara, Jalisco-based club.
In joining FC Cincinnati prior to the 2021 season, Acosta completed a transfer from Atlas FC. Acosta landed at Atlas following four seasons at D.C. United of MLS, where he was named to the end-of-season MLS Best XI in 2018 but didn't receive All-Star recognition.