SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today the addition of team captain Cristian Espinoza to the 2025 Major League Soccer All-Star roster. Espinoza was one of six new standout players selected by MLS All-Star head coach Nico Estévez for the match, which will be played on Wednesday, July 23, at 6 p.m. PT (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), with the MLS All-Stars facing off against the best of LIGA MX at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. For the full roster, please visit mlssoccer.com/allstar.
“I’m really happy with the news and thankful for my coaches and teammates, because without them, this is not possible,” said Espinoza. “It’s such a privilege to be recognized by the league, and making the MLS All-Star team was one of my goals this year, so I’m going to try to enjoy this experience and represent San Jose in the best way possible.”
Making his second MLS All-Star Game appearance, Espinoza has been the creative engine for the Earthquakes since joining the club in 2019. Now in his seventh MLS season, the Argentine winger has tallied 11 assists and four goals in 20 league matches (19 starts) in 2025 and has recorded at least 11 assists in each of the last four seasons—a feat only five other players have accomplished in the last 20 years. He also currently ranks second in MLS this campaign in assists (11), first in key passes (70), second in shots created (125) and first in corner kicks taken (102), while being named to the Team of the Matchday four times.
Earlier in 2025, Espinoza made his 200th MLS regular-season appearance for San Jose and snapped his consecutive games streak—a club record and the longest run in MLS among active players—at 122, good for third all-time and second among field players behind retired goalkeeper Luis Robles (183) and midfielder Chris Klein (141). In his previous All-Star Game appearance in 2023, he played 35 minutes for the MLS All-Stars against Arsenal FC at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Signed as a Designated Player in late 2019 after an initial loan from Villarreal CF in Spain’s La Liga, Espinoza has been a mainstay for San Jose, recording 36 goals and a club-record 82 assists across 207 regular season appearances. Before arriving in MLS, he played for Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors following stints in La Liga with Villarreal, CD Alavés and Real Valladolid.
The MLS All-Star Game and MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T, both held at Q2 Stadium, will be broadcast in over 100 countries and regions in English, Spanish, and French on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass now through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com.
