It’s All-Star season in Major League Soccer as the league’s best players went up against Liga MX All-Stars in a battle for top reigns in North America during the 2026 MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte, N.C. on Wednesday, July 29.
Key players for the MLS All-Stars include Real Salt Lake‘s homegrown midfielder Zavier Gozo and South Korean superstar Son Heung-Min, who scored back-to-back goals in the 20th and 23rd minutes of match.
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The MLS All-Star team also featured San Jose Earthquakes defender Daniel Munie, who wore No. 5 in the exhibition match. He entered the match in the second half in the 48th minute replacing Tim Ream, who is fresh off captaining the U.S. men’s national team at the 2026 World Cup.
For Munie, it’s the first All-Star selection of his young MLS career.
The 26-year-old has helped anchor the back line for the Earthquakes, who currently stand tied for first in the Western Conference on 33 points with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Los Angeles FC. The three each have 10 wins and 3 draws. Vancouver has 3 losses, Los Angeles has five, while San Jose has four.
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Munie, a St. Louis native, is in his fourth season after being drafted 10th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Indiana University. Munie has made a name for himself in his career, emerging as one of the premier center halves in the league.
The Earthquakes have been successful pairing Munie with second-year man Reid Roberts in the middle to help shore up a defense that has gone from conceding 63 goals in 2025 to just 20 with five clean sheets at the halfway point of this season.
The fourth-year MLS professional is considered the fastest center back in the league with a top speed of 22.37 miles per hour, according to Sportec. Munie has surpassed a career-high four goal contributions in the first 17 games of the 2026 campaign, accounting for two goals and two assists.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: San Jose Earthquakes defender Daniel Munie makes first MLS All-Star Game selection
