MLS All-Stars 2, Bayern Munich 1

Goals: Robert Lewandowski (BAY) 9'; Bradley Wright-Phillips (MLS) 51'; Landon Donovan (MLS) 70'

Bayern Munich: Starke (Neuer 62') Rafinha, Bernat, Alaba (Robben 86'), Martinez, Shaqiri, Rode (Schweinsteiger 80'), Gaudino (Dante 62'), Hojbjerg, Lewandowski (Muller 80'), Pizarro (Green 37') (Gotze 80')

MLS All-Stars: Rimando (Hamid 46'), Yedlin (Franklin 46'), Collin (Boswell 46'), Besler (Edu 46'), Parkhurst (Ridgewell 46'), Zusi (Valeri 46'), Cahill (Johnson 46'), Bradley (Alonso 46'), Henry (Donovan 48') (Dwyer 71'), Dempsey (Wright-Phillips 46'), Martins (Torres 46')

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The stars will be out. The fix for soccer fans before the major European club seasons get underway will be relieved. The chance for the best of the MLS to stare down the best of Germany will play out over 90 minutes on the pitch. 

The MLS All-Stars will face Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. And boy, should it be fun.

Below, you'll find everything you might need to prepare for the match, from the viewing schedule to odds to a preview of the major storylines on tap. 

Match Information

Rosters

The full roster of the MLS All-Stars can be found here, while the Bayern Munich roster is located here.

What's At Stake? 

Technically nothing, but underneath the surface, several interesting storylines should play out throughout the course of the game. 

For starters, one of the debates heading into this contest is whether the MLS should consider reverting back to an East vs. West showdown to get more MLS players into the spectacle. Clint Dempsey spoke to Bleacher Report's Jason Pettigrove about the format:

On a global scale I think it’s more interesting the more players that you have from different parts of the world, because people will feel a connection and want to watch those games.

But at the same time I kinda like the old East versus West, where you get to reward more players playing well during the season, and you can reward more coaches the opportunity to coach their respective conferences, whether it’s East or West.

But it’s still exciting.

Personally, I love the format. The simple truth about the MLS is this: Compared to the big leagues in Europe, the quality of play isn't as high. It continues to get better, and the MLS is hardly the minor league version of club football, but it can't yet compare to the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga or Serie A. 

So these MLS All-Star games against top clubs from around Europe are an interesting measuring stick for the league, but also a fascinating way to market American clubs into Europe and vice versa. For a league that's a bit more isolated than the European leagues—who come together for the Champions and Europa Leagues—extending the MLS brand into Europe is savvy.

And as we've seen in the past several summers, the top European clubs are eager to spread their brands into the MLS.

There are other storylines to watch for, of course. This game will feature a number of players from the United States and German national teams who faced off in the World Cup group stage, so revenge might be on the brain. 

Bayern Munich has one of those American players in Julian Green, so seeing him get a run with Bayern's first team should have U.S. fans excited.

On the other end of the career spectrum, this likely will be the last time Thierry Henry appears for the MLS All-Stars, as he's been tipped to retire after the season. Would anybody be shocked if he provided a highlight-reel moment or two in his swan song?

Finally, there is pride at stake. While Bayern Munich is essentially the Bundesliga's version of an all-star team, the MLS All-Stars aren't going to want to lose against a club team. Sure, the Bavarians are more accustomed to playing with one another and are one of the most skilled collections of talent in the world. 

But these are the MLS All-Stars. They have a league to represent. They won't want to lose. And that alone should make the match intriguing.

Prediction

The MLS All-Stars may have pride at stake, but Bayern Munich has talent to spare. Even if the contingent of German World Cup players don't make an extended appearance, as many just ended their summer break, Bayern Munich still has players like Robert Lewandowski and Franck Ribery to lean on.

It's a spoil of riches, and Pep Guardiola's side likely will take this match seriously. It has a Bundesliga and Champions League campaign to prepare for, after all.

The MLS All-Stars won't be embarrassed. They have enough talent to ensure that much. But they won't win, either. Bayern Munich takes this one, 4-2. 

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As the marquee event for Major League Soccer, the 2014 All-Star Game, finally arrives (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2), everything has lined up perfectly for the American soccer league.

A deep roster of U.S. Soccer talent teaming up with notable stars from around the world to play against the best club side on the planet in Bayern Munich, with their own set of world-renowned stars fresh off Germany's victory in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

It should be the league's greatest night. And yet the concern has to be: What if it's not?

Before we delve into the negative, let's look at all the positives. The MLS roster is stacked with known quantities, and not just MLS standouts who may only be household names to those who habitually watch the American soccer league, but bona fide stars in this country after the performance of the U.S. national team in Brazil this summer.

Michael Bradley did not have the best World Cup by any means, but he did solidify himself as a cornerstone of American soccer over the last calendar year. Clint Dempsey—the current iteration of soccer's Captain America—must be considered one of the most recognizable figures in American sports today, in any sport.

De'Andre Yedlin may have been the breakout star in Brazil for Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States. After rebuffing advances from European clubs that expressed interest after the World Cup, Yedlin is still an MLS commodity for the Seattle Sounders and one of the fresh young faces of American soccer, internationally and domestically.

Both Graham Zusi and Matt Besler went from vital cogs in the Sporting Kansas City machine to important pieces of Klinsmann's Brazil plans this summer. Besler, in particular, raised his profile immensely this summer, choosing to stay in MLS despite options to go abroad as well.

In all, the MLS All-Star roster boasts eight players from the U.S. Soccer national team that went to Brazil—add goalkeeper Nick Rimando, center back Omar Gonzalez and injured midfielder Kyle Beckerman to those previously mentioned—with an additional group of Americans that just missed (and some might say should have made) the World Cup team, too.

Michael Parkhurst is a name most U.S. Soccer fans know, even if his inclusion in an All-Star game may have no impact on moving the television needle. Maurice Edu, who returned to MLS for the Philadelphia Union this season, is another who just missed out on the World Cup this summer and was added to the All-Star roster this week.

And then there's this guy you might have heard of…Donovan Landon, as one radio host called him during an interview I did during the World Cup.

No, sir, it's Landon Donovan, and he has been the face of U.S. Soccer for a generation, and the American spokesman for MLS for almost his entire career.

Donovan seems back at the top of his game heading into a matchup against one of the European clubs he once called home. If it's a big game for Donovan, it becomes, in a way, a bigger game in MLS. That's kind of how the system in America has always worked. This game is big for all of them.

By my count that makes 11 U.S. Soccer pool players that make up part of the MLS All-Star team that faces Bayern on Wednesday. And that's not even counting wunderkind Julian Green, who will suit up for the Bundesliga champions against the MLS stars.

Let's not forget, of course, all the non-American talent on the field as well. The stars just keep on shining in this game.

While there's no Tim Howard, Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron or Jozy Altidore to join the other U.S. players, the MLS All-Stars have international talents like Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Tim Cahill—who scored one of the best goals of the 2104 World Cup—and an old guy named Henry you almost may have heard of before.

Thierry Henry is one of the biggest names in the world, and with word of his potential retirement after this season, the MLS All-Star Game could serve as his personal Derek Jeter moment. As if the league needed even more juice heading into the match with Bayern, it may have it with Henry.

From a big-picture standpoint, this is as notable a group of MLS All-Stars as the league has possibly ever assembled—throw in the "hey I've heard of that guy" inclusions that feature the likes of Diego Valeri, Obafemi Martins, Bill Hamid, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Liam Ridgewell—especially given the increased interest level of the sport in America after the World Cup.

To top that, they MLS All-Stars are playing a Bayern side that, for better or worse, will be as close to full strength as possible after flying in some of its stars who missed the early part of Bayern's American tour after the long, World Cup summer.

It's all set up for MLS to have a huge win on Wednesday night, regardless of the score on the field.

But what if American soccer fans don't tune in? What happens then?

This has to be a huge concern for MLS, part of the reason it feels like the league has been promoting this game more than previous endeavors against the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United. (It's worth noting that the 2012 contest against Chelsea did not have a strong television audience, while last year's match against Roma, even with a Michael Bradley connection, was not the draw a German power like Bayern Munich should bring.)

The match is big for Bayern, too, a club making a concerted effort to capture more of the rich American audience. The German side recently launched an English-language online endeavor and opened an official office in America, with the expressed interest of growing its brand in this country. A big television rating would be a fine start to that relationship.

And what would be a good television rating anyway? For the World Cup, more than 25 million viewers across all platforms tuned in to the U.S.-Germany match. The World Cup final, which featured many of these same Bayern players defeating Lionel Messi and Argentina, drew more than 25 million as well. Even the semifinals, on a weekday afternoon, had more than 12 million American viewers.

As much as a Wednesday evening in the summer seems like prime real estate on the sports calendar—MLS doesn't even have any NFL preseason games with which to compete—the match is starting rather late for the East Coast and impossibly late for any fans in Europe who might have interest in the event.

In addition, the match is on ESPN2, and while The Deuce is in nearly as many homes as the Mothership for ESPN at this point, there is a certain mentality with kicking an event over to "Option 2" that makes it seem less special. If ESPN doesn't care enough about it, why should we?

And yet, it won't be ESPN's fault (entirely) if the rating isn't big.

MLS needs to be able to grow its own brand at this point in the league's history and not rely on television partners to do the work for it. In other words, if this game doesn't draw, it's time to blow up all the plans and figure out something new.

This game, with a dozen USMNT players, including some of the biggest stars in the country, facing the likes of Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Jerome Boateng, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze, is as perfect an advertisement for soccer in America as one game can get.

Soccer, as a sport, is doing just fine in America. More than 109,000 people packed Michigan's Big House this past weekend to watch Manchester United scrimmage Real Madrid in a game that was shown on Fox across the country.

Will the MLS All-Star Game provide that kind of buzz, or are we going to see the same level of interest as for another European game this past weekend, when 12,000 people smattered around Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to watch AS Roma face Inter Milan?

The poor gate in Philly could be used as a knock on American soccer fans just as the record-breaking attendance in Michigan is a sign of the sport's strength, but it could also be a sign that we've become more selective and savvy with our soccer dollars. We'll pay to see Manchester United and Real Madrid, but we aren't willing to shell out Champions League dollars for a Serie A friendly. We have better options now.

Whether the MLS All-Star Game is a better option remains to be seen. Surely the crowd in Portland will be raucous, but will that translate to the wider television audience?

And again, the question MLS hopes not to have on Thursday is…what if it doesn't?

In terms of fan interest and television ratings, the English Premier League is king in America. La Liga, if not saddled with being shown on beIN Sports, would be just as popular in terms of marquee matches that feature Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Hell, American fans have even been clamoring for more Bundesliga on television too, something that will help the sport in America grow, while adding more competition for MLS eyeballs.

If MLS can't draw a solid rating for this game—I threw a number of 4 or 5 million viewers last week on Twitter, and after seeing the rating of 11.3 million viewers for the MLB All-Star Game, I think it's fair to hold to that projection—what should the league do other than scrap the model and start the hell over?

Last year's MLS Cup had just over 1 million viewers, and despite the huge new television deal that will go into effect among ESPN, Fox and Univision, there has been little proof that American domestic soccer can move the television needle.

This is the league's chance to prove everyone wrong. Everything this summer has led to this moment for MLS. There can be no excuse, even if the German side comes out and cruises to victory.

This match, after this summer, should be a huge showcase for the league. We should be talking about the growth of MLS—and soccer as a sport in America—coming out of this event.

I just can't escape the question: What if we're not? What then for MLS?

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The most interesting exhibition match of the summer will be between the MLS All-Stars and Bayern Munich.

Instead of a competition featuring half of the top Major League Soccer players against the others, the league decided to put all of its best players together against a European opponent.

While the American contingent has struggled for the most part in these matches, the group continues to fight hard in each matchup.

Most importantly, the upcoming competition will feature a number of players who were prevalent at the recent World Cup. The MLS squad will include a bunch of members from Team USA, while Bayern Munich have plenty of athletes from Germany and other teams.

This will make the friendly an exciting match to watch no matter who wins. Here is a look at what to watch for in the upcoming battle.

When: Wednesday, August 6

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

Where: Providence Park, Portland, Oregon

TV: ESPN2

Live Stream: ESPN3

MLS Top Player to Watch: Clint Dempsey

If MLS wants to compete with one of the best teams in the world, it will need a lot of help from a player with tons of international experience. Clint Dempsey has played a big role for the United States national team and has also had plenty of success in the English Premier League.

The Seattle Sounders star scored 17 goals for Fulham in the 2011-12 season and added two for the national team this summer in Brazil.

If he was able to beat the world-class defenders in these competitions, he will be able to fare well against the solid defense of Bayern.

Interestingly, Dempsey is not a big fan of the current format of the All-Star game, per Will Parchman of Top Drawer Soccer:

Still, he is the team's best chance to get onto the scoresheet in this matchup.

Bayern Munich Player to Watch: Robert Lewandowski

In the past few years, Bayern Munich have been deadly thanks to the elite midfield. They controlled possession and were able to consistently get the ball up to the forwards in good position to score.

While this was good enough before, the attack is now even better with world-class striker Robert Lewandowski. The Borussia Dortmund star might have been the best player in the Bundesliga not on Bayern Munich, and now he is playing with the reigning champs.

He is already showcasing his unique skill in the preseason:

With his addition to this roster, Bayern Munich could be unstoppable this season, and especially in this match.

Prediction

While this game will feature the best players in the MLS, the pure talent on Bayern Munich is much better.

Kansas City defender Matt Besler talked about this match as little more than a learning experience, as reported by Geoffrey C. Arnold of The Oregonian:

Over the past two or three years, Bayern's made a very, very strong case as the best team in the world. It's not every day you get that opportunity to play one of the best teams in the world. We always enjoy playing against world-class players. You learn something from every experience and every player you play against.

This does not sound like someone expecting to actually be competitive.

With forwards like Franck Ribery, Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and others, this group might be impossible for the MLS team to stop. All of the squad's biggest stars will be in attendance as the World Cup players will return to action.

Add this to the fact that the German side will have much better chemistry, and this match will not even be close.

The MLS All-Stars will likely be aggressive to put goals into the back of the net, but it will leave the back line exposed to give up a lot of shots. This will lead to a poor finish for the hosts in this matchup.

It is not yet known who will be in the starting lineup for each team, but Bayern Munich should have an easy time coming away with a win.

Predicted Score: Bayern Munich 5, MLS All-Stars 2

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When you look at some of the rosters in European club football, it's hard to argue they aren't all-star teams themselves. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus and Bayern Munich, among others, all boast some of the brightest and most exciting talent in footy. 

So in a way, it makes complete sense that the MLS All-Stars would take on a team like Bayern Munich. Really, it's like the MLS All-Stars are taking on a slightly watered-down version of the Bundesliga All-Stars. 

Below, we'll preview and predict the match, as the MLS looks to prove it can hang with one of the top clubs in the world. It should be one heck of a spectacle, if nothing else.

Match Information

Preview

With Bayern Munich having their full complement of European stars for this contest, the neutral observer might note that this one could get ugly for the MLS All-Stars.

After all, most of the Bayern Munich players are accustomed to playing with one another—including the large contingent that just helped Germany win the World Cup—and you could make a strong argument that no players from the MLS All-Stars would crack Bayern's starting 11. 

Add in the fact that the MLS All-Stars are a collection of players brought together by the fans who aren't necessarily familiar with playing with one another, and you can see how the "home side" will be at a disadvantage. 

Still, the MLS All-Stars have a few things going for them. For starters, many players have either played together on the USMNT or should have been on that team—cough, cough, Landon Donovan, cough—so the level of familiarity is higher than you'll get on many all-star teams. 

They'll also have the crowd at their back and the chance to prove they can hang with Europe's elite—let's be honest, the MLS is considered that "cute little American league" across the pond—so pride will be at stake. 

Plus, while many of Bayern's players are still working to get fit in their preseason training, the MLS All-Stars are in the middle of their season, so their form should naturally be a bit more crisp and fine-tuned than their German counterparts. 

And to boot, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi, Clint Dempsey and the other members of the USMNT that played Germany in Brazil this year will have a bone to pick with Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller, Manuel Neuer, Mario Goetze and the other Bayern Munich players who beat them in the group stages.

Of course, there are those who think the MLS should keep the All-Star Game in house and do an East-West showcase rather than face a European side. Dempsey is perhaps amongst them, as his comments in a press conference before the game indicate, per The Canadian Press (via The Vancouver Sun):

I think it would be cool to go back to the old system—East versus West—because I think you could reward more players and you can reward more coaches for doing a great job. But at the same time it's still exciting to play against a team like Bayern.

It'd have been nice if we had more time to work with [manager Caleb Porter] in terms of tactics and how to better prepare ourselves so that we could play even better than what we'll play. But as the same time we'll still put in a good performance, we'll have fun and look forward to the challenge.

Not all agree with Dempsey's sentiment, Max Bretos of ESPN included:

It's an interesting debate, but there's something to be said for the game's unique format. The MLS often feels a bit isolated from the rest of the major brands in club football, namely because most of them play in Europe, so giving the MLS All-Star Game an international feel seems wise. 

It's also a chance to introduce Americans to some of the top players in the world and, by proxy, grow the general interest in the sport. That can't be a bad thing. 

Prediction

Let's be honest with ourselves here, folks—Bayern Munich are the better side. Really, it's not close. And if they are taking this game seriously and not just going through the motions because it's a glorified exhibition, they'll win.

It should be an entertaining spectacle nonetheless, and the MLS All-Stars are no pushovers. They'll give the German side a run for their money, but it won't be enough. 

Bayern Munich win, 4-2.

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The All-Star festivities in MLS have begun with the inaugural Homegrown Game on Monday. The game was significant as several future stars were on display, and some of them are teenagers.

Many youngsters in MLS have tremendous potential to rise to the top of the league, and some who were deserving did not get called up to play in the big game.

In this slideshow, five players who are 19 years old or under are featured as potential game-changers in MLS in the future. Most of them have been prominently featured with their clubs already. Here are the ones to watch.  

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Let's be honest—most all-star games are frivolous affairs. Sure, they are fun for the kids, but ultimately the games suffer because very little is at stake. 

And when there is something at stake—like the MLB's absurd policy of having the league that wins its All-Star Game earn home-field advantage in the World Series—we tend to critique them for trying to force relevance onto something that should be meaningless. 

Not that these events can't be enjoyable, of course, but they're generally enjoyable like a casual game of volleyball between beers at a barbecue is enjoyable. They're, well...relaxing. 

But the MLS has done something a bit different, and a bit more fun, with their all-star exhibition—they gather their top stars and have them face a top European side. This year, it's none other than German powerhouse Bayern Munich.

For a league that often suffers from (the perhaps unfair) comparisons to minor league baseball when stacked against the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga or the Bundesliga, this is the chance to stack their best against some of Europe's top talents. 

So, what should you be watching for at this year's game? And which squad is likely to come out on top? Let's break it down.

Match Info

Analysis

Fans of the MLS game helped to vote for the All-Star team that will play in this game and will have the usual excitement that comes with seeing the top players in the league join forces. But let's be honest—the really exciting aspect of this format is seeing the MLS' best match wits with a top European side.

And few teams in the world are better than Bayern Munich. 

While the Bavarian side is still in its preseason preparations and many of its players are coming off a lengthy World Cup campaign, the talent they have available is insane. Players like Thomas Mueller, Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mario Goetze, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski and United States man Julian Green should all be available for selection, amongst others.

And you can expect to see Green in action in this one, per Ben Jata of Opta:

In short, there isn't a player on the MLS All-Stars who would crack the Bayern Munich first team, at least not at this point in their careers.

Still, the talent alone isn't the only reason to watch this game. Seeing the continued evolution of Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola will be intriguing as well. Remember, the former Barcelona man changed Bayern's tactics quite a bit last season, installing some of the tiki-taka made famous by the Catalan club.

It was Guardiola that envisioned Lahm as a defensive midfielder. It was Guardiola that saw Thiago Alcantara as such an important addition to the squad. Will Guardiola's tinkering continue to take Munich to new heights this year, or will his tactics clash with the team's natural tendencies in year two?

That's a storyline to keep in mind. Another will be how the MLS side fares.

This is a friendly, the Bavarians aren't at peak condition and Guardiola will probably take the opportunity to cycle through his bench throughout the match. Plus, the MLS All-Stars are going to want to prove they aren't pushovers, so this game should be competitive. 

And you can bet Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi and Matt Besler, amongst others who featured for the United States at the World Cup, will want a little revenge against their Germany counterparts who beat them in Brazil and ply their trade for Bayern Munich. So there's that, too.

It's also important to note that this game is about far more than just the game on the pitch. For Bayern Munich, it's about spreading its brand into the giant market that is the United States. For the MLS, it's even more important, as Kyle McCarthy of Fox Sports writes:

The sight of Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry all wearing the same jersey provides an evident reminder of the talent on display every week. The emphasis on U.S. national team players this year—seven out of the 10 MLS representatives in Brazil are in the frame to feature after Omar Gonzalez withdrew over the weekend—supplies yet another component in the wake of the World Cup success on these shores.

This game offers MLS a chance to build on the momentum generated by that tournament and make further inroads during the second half of the season. MLS thrives on measured and steady strides on and off the field, but the influx of talent over the past year and the lavish spending required to obtain it increases the impetus to accelerate the progress. There is a platform in place now to draft upon the interest generated earlier in the summer and seize upon those gains.

Anything that continues to promote soccer in the States is a good thing. Even if the MLS All-Stars don't have a very good chance of winning.

Prediction

There will be goals in this game, and Bayern Munich will score most of them. No, it shouldn't be embarrassing, but even with a group of players returning from a post-World Cup holiday, Bayern Munich are the superior side.

Plus, several of their players like Ribery and Lewandowski are well into their preseason training. And this is a group of players that is accustomed to playing together, unlike the MLS All-Stars (with the exception of the men who join forces for the USMNT).

Everything is pointing toward a Bayern Munich win. They'll be convincing but not entirely dominant, winning 4-2.

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The play in Major League Soccer this week delivered us with something we have become used to seeing—a goal from Bradley Wright-Phillips.

While players like Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes and Chris Wondolowski catch the headlines, the Golden Boot leader has gone about his business en route to a four-goal lead in the race to be 2014's top scorer. 

As a surprise to no one, Wright-Phillips is once again on top of the MLS Player Power Rankings, but there was plenty of movement beneath him.

Continue reading on to see who the potential challengers to Wright-Phillips are in the list of the league's top 20 players. 

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Clint Dempsey, the captain of both the USMNT and the Seattle Sounders, took some time out of his hectic schedule to talk with Bleacher Report about the forthcoming MLS All-Star game against Bavaria's finest, Bayern Munich.

The game at Portland Timbers' Providence Park ground on Wednesday, August 6, kicks off 6:30 p.m. PT (9:30 p.m. ET/2:30 a.m. BST) and promises to showcase the best talent that MLS has to offer, with the Bundesliga champions providing genuine high-quality opposition.

Dempsey was an easy "Fans XI" pick for the All-Star squad after a stunning start to the Sounders MLS season—where they sit proudly atop the Western Conference—and a successful World Cup campaign which really engaged the U.S. footballing public.

It's the third time the 31-year-old Texan has been selected, after his appearances in 2005 and 2006, and clearly a prospect he is relishing:

B/R: The first All-Star games in the mid-90s were generally "East v West" type affairs. Since then, various European sides have been invited, but does having Bayern Munich in opposition represent a pinnacle for this fixture and if so, why?

CD: I mean it’s exciting for the fans, to have a game with the quality of players that will be on the pitch, especially Bayern in terms of the Champions League and being so successful there.

A lot of players playing with Germany in the World Cup, and winning the World Cup, but it’s still a pre-season game for them so it’s not like you’re playing them at midseason.

At the same time, you’re not playing an All-Star team that’s had a lot of time to work with each other. This was like the first time today that we had a training session, when we were all together.

Even though I’ve played with some of the players, whether it was with the national team or club teams I was on before, you still have to play together as a whole and play under the manager, Caleb Porter, and in terms of tactics and how you are going to try and figure out how to play.

So it’s not much time to try and get that product on the field; at the same time it’s an exciting game for everyone to be part of.

But that’s the dynamic you deal with when trying to set up a game like this, those are some of the things that come in to play.

B/R: What do you expect to encounter from a strong Bayern side that by Guardiola’s admission, per Geoffrey Arnold of OregonLive.com, isn’t in Portland to play for fun, but to win?

CD: Yeah I’m sure, you know, that’s what he demands.

That the team is always performing well whether it’s pre-season, whether it’s regular-season games, whether it’s Champions League, he expects a lot of his players.

That’s something that during the press conference today Thierry Henry was talking about.

So there’ll be players that are fighting to be in the starting XI, and the opportunity to show that they deserve to play so I’m sure that it’ll be an exciting game.

It’ll be an opportunity for some of the players here in the MLS All-Stars to test themselves against that type of competition, but it’s the balance for Caleb Porter in terms of balancing those minutes because people have games on the weekend.

And some teams are still pushing for playoff spots, so it’s one of those type of situations.

B/R: There’s a great deal of quality in the All-Star side too, but how does the team go about approaching what is essentially a competitive friendly, but one which falls slap-bang in the middle of regular MLS fixtures? Isn’t the threat of injury always in the back of your mind, so giving 100 percent isn't really an option?

CD: Yeah I mean it’s something that since the MLS has been going on, they’ve always had an MLS All-Star game.

You see that in other leagues in the States, like the NBA or the MLB baseball, and after a season for football you see the Pro Bowl which is where people get together.

So it’s difficult in terms of trying to make it a real competitive and serious game when you don’t have time necessarily if you’re on the All-Stars team to work on things, and to get your tactics as you would want them to be.

But that’s something that you deal with on an international level, times you’re getting called in and you have, you know, three days turnaround before you’re playing a game. It’s what all the other teams have to deal with.

From Bayern, this is a team that the main nucleus are used to playing with each other but I guess depending on what team they put out there’ll be an opportunity for people to play for spots or to maintain the spot that they have already.

So it’s a difficult balance but it’s good. It’s exciting for the fans, it’s exciting for the players, but it’s trying to manage it in the right way so that everybody is kinda happy because Bayern doesn’t want to pick up injuries and MLS All-Stars don’t want to pick up injuries.

You want to stay fresh for your games on the weekend, which matter because teams are pushing for playoff spots.

B/R: The Sounders lead the All-Star count with five representatives, all via the Fans XI pick. Given what a great season the team is having, that was expected, wasn't it?

CD: I mean I don’t know. Fans decide who should be playing.

You know during the season we’ve had a good run of form with the Seattle Sounders and I think we’ve played some exciting football that’s been entertaining for the fans but as of late, the last two games, we’ve had losses.

We’ve lost those two fixtures and we need to get back to winning ways and get back to the things that were the reason why we were top of the table.

We’re happy to represent Seattle Sounders in terms of the numbers, five players, but the most important thing for us is making sure that we finish the season strong.

We don’t just have a good first half of the season, that we finish strongly, stay towards the top of the table and a place for the MLS Cup.

B/R: What skill set will the five of you bring to the party?

CD: Well we lost one of the players who's not coming in, in Chad Marshall who’s very solid at the back, wins every 50/50 ball in the air, has good distribution out of the back.

So he won’t be here but DeAndre Yedlin, he’s a bright talent for the future, performed well not only for the Sounders but in the World Cup, stepping up at the age of 21 and making a difference in that tournament.

You have a guy like Osvaldo Alonso that’s come from Cuba, literally a Cinderella story because of how hard he’s had to work to get to where he is, and to be able to make an impact, become a DP player, an All-Star player.

Just his work rate in the midfield, his fearlessness, getting stuck in on the challenge, his fight that he has, you know I really enjoy playing with him.

And Obafemi Martins who’s had a great career, playing in World Cups, playing Champions League, playing with big clubs.

Playing with him is like playing pick-up because we’re on the same page in terms of the movement, what to look for, it’s like I’ve grown up playing with him.

He’s a great player. A person whose skill set I admire and he’s a pleasure to play with week in and week out.

B/R: This is the third time you’ve been selected for an All-Star squad. Describe what it means to you to represent the team for the first time in eight years….

CD: Yeah, I played three seasons when I was in MLS before I went to Europe, and every year I was able to be selected for the All-Star which was an honor.

Then I had the opportunity to go to Europe and test myself there which is something that I wanted to do, and I’m glad with what I was able to accomplish there. I have some great memories.

Now I’m happy to be back and pushing again in the league that gave me my start to go pro, so I’m excited about continuing to grow the game here in the States and also to represent Seattle Sounders and All-Star, and I thank the fans for their selection.

B/R: There’s been a huge buzz surrounding this match. Do you think that has a lot to do with a number of the USMNT squad being involved, and do you get the feeling that we might finally be at a watershed moment for the sport in the United States?

CD: In terms of a buzz building off of the back of the World Cup, yeah. I think more mainstream America gotten involved and were able to connect with players that played in the World Cup with the U.S. team, and also for other countries' players that play in MLS.

And you know the game is growing in the states, a TV deal is being done between Fox, ESPN and Univision, other franchises are popping up in terms of NYCFC and Orlando.

It just shows there is a demand for it and that the league is growing, that there’s more homegrown players, there’s more academies that give an opportunity to kids, that they don’t have to pay for their development in the game and I think it’s probably going to help to move the game in the right direction.

I think that, you know, it will just only get better.

And what you try to push for is to try and get to a World Cup final and win a major competition whether it’s World Cup, Copa America—which is exciting that it’s going to be on American soil in three years—or you know playing here in MLS.

I think it’s exciting times for the culture of soccer, which the rest of the world calls football, here in America.

B/R: Speaking of USMNT, there’s been a lot of hype surrounding Julian Green. Can the 19-year-old force his way into Guardiola’s plans for the new season, and what will he add to Bayern Munich?

CD: Well, I think that’s a question you need to ask Pep!

But he’s a player that definitely has a bright future and what I’ve seen of him in camp and being able to step up when he was called up in the World Cup, being able to get an important goal that gave us hope that if we got one more we could take it into penalties.

I think his confidence will continue to grow, he will feel more comfortable in the national team setting and I think his future’s bright, but it’s not up to me to decide or to tell you what I think will happen.

I think that’s a question for other people.

B/R: MLS Commissioner Don Garber, via MLSSoccer.com has called the game “one of the premier soccer events on the North American sports calendar.” Is the fixture destined for bigger and better things and a wider global appeal in future, for example because more stars of the European and world game are deciding to ply their trade in MLS?

CD: Yeah I think it’s something that’s exciting in the sports culture of the U.S., in terms of whether it’s MLB, NBA, NFL or MLS.

I mean All-Star is something that’s exciting for the fans, it’s a way for the fans to see their favourite players all play at the same time.

So, on a global scale I think it’s more interesting the more players that you have from different parts of the world, because people will feel a connection and want to watch those games.

But at the same time I kinda like the old East versus West, where you get to reward more players playing well during the season, and you can reward more coaches the opportunity to coach their respective conferences, whether it’s East or West.

But it’s still exciting.

B/R: Finally, how does Oberto Beef Jerky help you in your daily routine and your training?

CD: It’s a partnership and it means I’m able to be with a product that I enjoy personally. The campaign “you get out what you put in,” playing soccer, going fishing, things that I like to do, well sometimes you need to take a quick snack, something that’s healthy and all natural, and that’s what the product is.

So it’s good to have a partnership with them and that’s part of the reason we were able to make this interview happen today.

B/R: Thank you very much indeed for your time today Clint, much appreciated.

CD: No problem man, have a good one.

This interview was conducted in association with Oberto Beef Jerky—"You get out what you put in." All quotes were obtained firsthand by the author.

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In his United States men's national team career, which spanned nearly two decades, Tony Meola earned 100 caps for the Americans and represented the team in three World Cups.

These days, in addition to his work as a commentator and as a coach with the U.S. youth national team setup, Meola works with Allstate to promote youth soccer in underserved communities.

This week, as part of that work, he's in Portland where Major League Soccer will be hosting its All-Star game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. While there, Meola and Allstate will surprise a local youth team and supply the team with new uniforms, warm-ups, bags, balls and tickets to the All-Star game.

"Basically, we outfit an entire team," Meola told Bleacher Report. "And, in the end, we give them tickets to the [All-Star] game. The fact that they get to go to these big events...that's the coolest part for me."

For the All-Star game itself, Meola expects a wide-open game—the type he wouldn't want to be in the net for.

"From a goalkeeper's standpoint, they're not always fun," Meola said laughing. "[It's] always an open game, always a lot of goals, it seems, in the All-Star game. Guys are willing to take risks a little bit more than they would with their club teams. Because of that, it always makes for a lot of fun."

Still, Meola doesn't think anyone should read too much into the result of the game, whatever it is.

He said: "I read a lot about the LA Galaxy losing to Manchester United, but there are other instances where [MLS] beat Chelsea. I don't think we can get too caught up in that stuff. I know the mentality of the players. They look at it as a period of time off."

Win or lose, Meola sees MLS as a league on the rise, in his estimation on par with the English Championship.

"We can compete with [any other league]," Meola said. "There's so many different variables. I would say the [English] Championship is fair, maybe the bottom of the EPL."

He added: "For me, the important thing is we're improving, we continue to bring better players in and our American players continue to get better...I think we're taking all the right steps and we're really focusing now on youth development."

The former American net minder also thinks that MLS is making the right decision in bringing so many Americans back home.

He said: "It started with Clint [Dempsey] a year ago, and then [Michael] Bradley and now DaMarcus Beasley. Maybe Jermaine Jones or [Sacha] Kljestan or [Mix] Diskerud [are next]. I like the idea that we're bringing those guys back. If we bring back the American players, that in and of itself, makes the league better."

He also thinks that many foreigners don't appreciate how difficult it really is to play in MLS.

He said: "You see it all the time. All the foreign players I played with that came here and weren't as successful as they thought they would be—they talked about the travel, the heat—all the things they don't have to deal with on a weekly basis [in Europe].

"In New York, they couldn't believe you'd have to fly across the country and have to play a game the next day in L.A. after flying for five-and-a-half hours."

Talking about the U.S. men's national team, Meola hasn't seen the same change in style in play that many attest to but simply more of the same.

"I don't think the style of the national team has changed," Meola said, conceding the U.S. still looks to defend and counter. But for Meola, that's a good thing.

"I still think you need to be good to counterattack well. We see teams all the time [that do it]. Look at Holland in the World Cup, look at Costa Rica. I like that style of play. It opens up the game. It creates space."

Meola also credited the 2014 U.S. World Cup team for showing the same grit that has made the U.S. successful in past World Cups: "What this team did was show a spirit and energy and togetherness—a willingness to fight that galvanized so many fans around the country."

But Meola recognizes that trips to the round of 16 in the World Cup aren't unique for the U.S. anymore. Speaking of the 2002 U.S. World Cup team, of which Meola was a part, he said, "That's our barometer. We've made it to a quarterfinal in the modern era. That's got to be our standard.

"Even in 2002, we didn't have an easy draw. We had a Portugal team that people thought was going to go to the semifinals of that World Cup, we played the host country [South Korea] which is never easy and had to play our rivals [Mexico]."

He continued: "I think it's really important that we find ourselves in the next two World Cups getting to the quarterfinals."

As a former international goalkeeper, Meola also has a unique perspective on the future of the U.S. goalkeeper pool, especially if current No. 1 Tim Howard retires. Meola thinks that, beyond Brad Guzan, there are a number of good candidates.

"The guys we're talking about are [Bill] Hamid, Sean Johnson, guys like that," he said.

"Cody Cropper, who plays with Southampton, is part of the next group. Santi [Castano], the young kid for the Red Bulls who I helped with the U-20s, has a future. Ethan Horvath, who plays with Molde, is also another young kid with a bright future. There are a lot of guys that are all at the same level.

"We all feel good with Guzan. [The U.S.] has been pretty lucky for years [at goalkeeper]. I would have felt confident [in the World Cup] with Nick Rimando."

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