FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Four New England Revolution players – forward Gustavo Bou, midfielder Tajon Buchanan, midfielder Carles Gil, and goalkeeper Matt Turner – have been selected to the MLS All-Star Team, which will square off against the LIGA BBVA MX All-Star Team on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. in the 2021 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1, Univision).
The Revolution’s quartet is among 28 MLS players named to the roster, which is comprised of the 13 players selected through a fan, player, and media vote, 13 player selections by MLS All-Star Head Coach Bob Bradley of LAFC, and two Commissioner’s Picks by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Click here to view the complete MLS All-Star Team roster. This marks the first career All-Star selection for all four of New England’s selectees. It also marks the seventh time in Revolution history the team has sent at least four players to the All-Star Game (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).
The most productive player in Major League Soccer this season, Carles Gil’s 15 assists are more than double that of any other player in the league, while his 17 combined goals and assists also pace MLS. The captain of the current Supporters’ Shield leaders, Gil leads the league in an expansive list of statistical categories, including chances created, big chances created, dribbles completed, shot-creating actions, goal-creating actions, progressive passes, and successful corners and crosses. At the season’s midway point, Gil, who signed a new multi-year contract with the Revolution in May, is currently on pace to set single-season MLS records for assists and game-winning assists. Dating back to his arrival in 2019, when he captured MLS Newcomer of the Year and Best XI honors, the Revolution have never lost when Gil registers an assist – posting a 21-0-5 record across all competitions.
Turner backstopped the Revolution to a 7-2-3 record this season, helping entrench the team as a Supporters’ Shield contender at the campaign’s halfway mark. After finishing second in Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year voting in 2020, Turner is again making a case that he is the league’s best shot stopper. Prior to departing for the Concacaf Gold Cup in July, he was tied for the league lead in wins and earned Player of the Week honors for a seven-save effort – highlighted by a penalty kick save on Valentin Castellanos – at New York City FC on June 19. Turner was instrumental in leading the United States Men’s National Team to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup title. Named the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper and Man of the Match after both the semifinal and the final, Turner conceded only one goal – and zero from open play – across six games at the tournament. He was one of two USMNT players to play every minute of the Gold Cup.
Bou earns his first career All-Star selection amid an explosive run of form, having scored nine goals in his last 10 appearances. With 10 goals on the year, he trails only Seattle’s Raúl Ruidíaz in the MLS Golden Boot race. Bou’s 13 combined goals and assists are tied for second most in MLS behind only Gil. One of the league’s most lethal and efficient scorers, ‘La Pantera’ has found the back of the net 27 times in the regular season and playoffs since he debuted with the Revolution on July 17, 2019. Only Ruidíaz (33) has converted more times over that time span, while Bou’s 25 MLS goals from open play are level with the Seattle forward for the league lead.
Buchanan is one of two players selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber to round out the roster. He becomes the first Revolution player ever tapped by Garber as a ‘Commissioner’s Pick.’ The 22-year-old midfielder has recorded three goals and three assists across 12 appearances for New England this season. The Brampton, Ontario native recently returned from the Concacaf Gold Cup, where he was named the tournament’s Best Young Player after leading the Canada Men’s National Team to the Semifinal. The reigning Canada Men’s Youth International Player of the Year recorded one goal and two assists in his first major international tournament. After appearing in all 23 games during the 2020 regular season, Buchanan emerged as a breakout star of last year’s MLS Cup Playoffs, when he started all four of the team’s games and scored the game-winning goal against Philadelphia in the Quarterfinal.
The New England Revolution will go for five straight wins as the club returns to MLS action tonight, Aug. 4 against Nashville SC at Gillette Stadium. The home contest kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on WSBK-TV38, myRITV, CoziTV, 98.5 The Sports Hub, and 1260 AM Nossa Radio.
