With Major League Soccer’s announcement of the roster for the upcoming 2021 MLS All-Star Game, presented by Target, Damir Kreilach became the ninth Real Salt Lake player in the Club’s 17-season history to earn one of the league’s highest honors.
Kreilach now joins a list of players who helped establish and create the Club in Tony Beltran, Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Jamison Olave and Nick Rimando, whose legacies are synonymous with the success of Real Salt Lake.
For a full history of Real Salt Lake’s involvement in the MLS All-Star Game enjoy this look back at the Club’s year-by-year history in this historic event.
2021: Damir Kreilach
Halfway through the season, midfielder Damir Kreilach leads Real Salt Lake with seven goals tied for the most by any midfielder in the league, while his five assists are the fifth-most in Major League Soccer. Kreilach is the first-ever Croatian to be selected as an All-Star.
2019: Nick Rimando
In the final year of his 20-year career, goalkeeper Nick Rimando was selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber to represent the league in Orlando, Florida for the 24th iteration of the All-Star match against Spanish superpower, Athletico Madrid. Rimando came on as a substitute in the 59th minute, finishing out the match in between the pipes to cap off his seventh selection to the MLS All-Star roster.
2016: Kyle Beckerman
For the eighth time in his career, Kyle Beckerman was selected to participate in the MLS All-Star Game. Beckerman started the match against Premier League side Arsenal at the 21st annual match in San Jose, California. The team went on to lose 2-1 to the Gunners with Beckerman logging 45 minutes in the midfield.
2015: Tony Beltran, Nick Rimando
For the 20th annual MLS All-Star Game, defender Tony Beltran and goalkeeper Nick Rimando were chosen to represent Real Salt Lake against Tottenham Hotspur FC in Denver, Colorado. Beltran was selected by former Colorado Rapids Head Coach and current RSL Assistant Coach Pablo Mastroeni to join the squad, while Rimando was elected to the MLS All-Star Fan XI. Both Beltran and Rimando started the match and played all of the first half on the way to a 2-1 victory.
2014: Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando
Beckerman and Rimando were both named to the MLS All-Star Fan XI to represent the league against Bayern Munich in Portland, Oregon for the MLS All-Star Game. Due to injury Beckerman was unable to play and had to withdraw from the event. Rimando earned his first start at an All-Star match during his fifth visit to the annual game and helped the team earn a 2-1 win over the German side.
2013: Tony Beltran, Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando
Real Salt Lake had three players named to the MLS All-Star Game roster in Kansas City, Kansas against AS Roma, marking the first time for Tony Beltran, the sixth for Kyle Beckerman and the fourth for Nick Rimando. Beltran and Beckerman both started the match for Head Coach Peter Vermes and Rimando came on as a halftime substitute. Beltran was one of just two players to log a full 90 minutes for the league.
2012: Kyle Beckerman, Fabian Espindola, Jamison Olave, Nick Rimando
Kyle Beckerman earned a spot in his fifth MLS All-Star match by selection from Ben Olsen and appeared in 34 minutes against Chelsea in the 3-2 win for the league. Meanwhile, Fabian Espindola, Jamison Olave and Nick Rimando were all voted to the roster by their peers in the league but were inactive for the match.
2011: Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave, Nick Rimando
In his second selection to the MLS All-Star Game, Jamison Olave started the match against Manchester United and logged 38 minutes before being substituted off for Geoff Cameron. Meanwhile, Kyle Beckerman came on as a second-half substitute in his fourth All-Star appearance. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando was also named an All-Star by players in the league but was inactive for the match.
2010: Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Jamison Olave, Nick Rimando
In the year following the Club’s first-ever MLS Cup, Real Salt Lake had four players selected to the MLS All-Star Game, the most in team history. Beckerman, Morales and Olave were all named as starters, while Rimando made the list as a substitute. After sustaining an injury prior to the match, Beckerman was forced to withdraw from the event.
2009: Kyle Beckerman, Will Johnson, Javier Morales
Prior to Real Salt Lake’s run to the MLS Cup, Commissioner Don Garber used his two picks to select Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales to be a part of the MLS All-Star Game. Midfielder Will Johnson also joined the festivities as an injury replacement for Shalrie Joseph. Additionally, the game was held at the newly-built Rio Tinto Stadium, marking the first time the match has been held in Utah.
2007: Kyle Beckerman, Eddie Pope
In his first year with Real Salt Lake, Kyle Beckerman earned his first selection to the MLS All-Star Game as a reserve, joining his teammate Eddie Pope. Pope came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute to help the team close out the 2-0 victory over Celtic FC. Current RSL Assistant Coach Pablo Mastroeni was also part of the squad as a substitute.
2005: Eddie Pope
Eddie Pope became the first-ever player from Real Salt Lake to be selected to the MLS All-Star game during the club’s inaugural season. However, he did not appear in the 4-1 win over Fulham.
