MLS
FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta named MLS All-Star captain
The Argentinian playmaker has starred for the MLS Supporters’ Shield leaders this season and will wear the armband against Premier League side Arsenal.
After a public vote to decide who would wear the armband, FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta has been named captain for the 2023 MLS All-Star Team.
The MLS announced on Wednesday that the 29-year-old Argentine would be the captain for Wayne Rooney’s select XI. He has starred for a Cincinnati side who are currently seven points ahead at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Acosta, an attacking midfielder, has contributed 10 goals and seven assists in his 20 MLS appearances this season. Those 17 goal involvements are the third-best combined figures in MLS so far this year.
For next week’s All-Star Game Acosta will return to Washington DC, where he spent four years as a player from 2016-19. In 2018 he was named in the MLS Best XI for his performances with DC United, playing alongside this year’s All-Star head coach Wayne Rooney.
Back in 2019, Rooney described Acosta as “one of the best I’ve played with.”
“He needs to keep motivated,” Rooney said in an interview with the Washington Post. “He’s a professional player; I’m sure he will.”
The FC Cincinnati press release announcing that Acosta would be the captain reads:
“Acosta has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday seven times this season. His nine goals since the beginning of May are third-most in MLS over that span.”
He was the victor in a four-candidate public vote. The other potential captains for the MLS team were Christian Benteke (DC United), Roman Burki (St. Louis City SC) and Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC).