The annual All-Star Game of Major League Soccer will be held in Los Angeles next month. On Tuesday morning, we learned about the L.A.-inspired threads that MLS players will wear when they take the field against a comparable group from Mexico’s top domestic league, Liga MX, and we learned about the L.A.-inspired threads that MLS players will wear when they take the pitch.
The kits, which are solid black with gold trim and feature the league’s emblem, as well as a number of details that serve as homage to the host city and the significance of this specific game, were announced in collaboration by MLS and adidas.
“The 2021 MLS All-Star Authentic player jersey will light up the night, symbolic to the city of Los Angeles,” MLS said in a release. “The Black jersey features unique reflective trims to shine on a backdrop of black and gold and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Inspired by Art Deco architecture in Los Angeles, the jersey is designed from adidas Aeroready performance fabric made up of stars and maple leafs that represent the U.S. and Canadian clubs of MLS. The right sleeve has the LA21 All-Star Game patch and the back-neck features LA staples and inspired icons of stars, ocean waves and freeways as well as the No. 25 to signify the 25th MLS All-Star Game.”
The setup is intriguing: since 2005, a squad of MLS’ best has faced a European side in an All-Star Game during the league’s preseason, but this year, Major League Soccer will host a rival domestic league. While there is a strong international rivalry between Mexico and the United States, Liga MX and MLS clubs compete annually for the CONCACAF Champions League, with no MLS team having won the tournament since the L.A. Galaxy did so in 2000, and in the newly-established Campeones Cup, which pits the winners of each league against one another. Furthermore, speculation has been rife for years in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup— of a potential merger of the two leagues.
The 2021 MLS All-Star Game is slated to take place on Aug. 25 at Banc of California Stadium.
