The 2008 All-Star Game MVP, Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco, will replace the 2006 MLS All-Star MVP, Dwayne De Rosario, in this year's All-Star First XI. De Rosario is unavailable for the All-Star Game due to his club's participation in the Concacaf Champions League. Toronto FC faces the Puerto Rico Islanders in the preliminary round of the tournament on Wednesday, July 29, the same day as the MLS All-Star Game.
Blanco, who received the next highest voting percentage in the midfield, will join teammate Wilman Conde giving the Fire two representatives on the All-Star team. Seattle Sounders FC, the Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo and the Fire each have two players on the roster. This is Blanco's second consecutive All-Star Game selection. He starred in the 2008 All-Star Game in Toronto, scoring a brilliant goal and providing an assist on a Christian Gomez goal in the MLS All-Stars 3-2 victory over West Ham United.
Online fan balloting comprises 25 percent of the combined First XI vote, with the remainder accounted for by MLS coaches and GMs (25 percent), media (25 percent), and players (25 percent). Players and coaches/general managers could not register votes for players on their own teams. The 2009 MLS All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium – home of Real Salt Lake – in Sandy, Utah when the MLS All-Stars play Everton FC of the English Premier League. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 and Galavision at 9:30 p.m. ET.