With Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen set to participate in the Major League Soccer All-Star Game on Aug. 1, the first-time honoree marks the sixth Crew SC player under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter to be honored as one of the League's top players.
As we look ahead to this year's match against seven-time Serie A champion Juventus, we also look back at the six players who have represented the Black & Gold at the annual event since 2014.
2014: Michael Parkhurst
Michael Parkhurst's All-Star nod in 2014 marked the first Crew SC player appearance since 2010, as the center back and captain played the first 45 minutes against opposing FC Bayern Munich.
Against the German giants, Parkhurst, wearing number 23, went toe-to-toe with Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski on numerous occasions. MLS won the match by a 2-1 count, courtesy of second-half goals by the New York Red Bulls' Bradley Wright-Phillips and LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan.
On the year, Parkhurst made 32 starts on 33 appearances and earned the Xbox Individual Fair Play award for the third career time.
2015: Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, & Kei Kamara
Crew SC earned a trio of nominations during the 2015 season, with Kei Kamara being selected by then-Colorado Rapids Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni, while Ethan Finlay and Waylon Francis were added as injury replacements.
A six-year member of the Black & Gold, Finlay posted a breakout season in 2014 before doubling down with a career year for Columbus in 2015 en route to a spot on the MLS Best XI and his first All-Star appearance.
As a regular starter in 2015, Finlay became the second player in club history to reach double-digit figures in goals (12) and assists (13) in the same season, both standing as career-highs for the Duluth, Minn. native. Notably, Finlay tallied three braces during the 2015 regular season.
Francis started every game he appeared in during the 2014 (24) and 2015 (28) seasons for Crew SC as one of the League’s top left backs and an integral piece of Berhalter’s back line as not only a defensive stalwart but a chance creator.
In 2015, the Costa Rican national registered a career-best seven assists, leading the League among defenders, and was named an MLS All-Star for the first time while playing the opening 45 minutes in the MLS All-Star Game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Kamara, a four-year member of Crew SC throughout two separate stints, provided fans and followers with an offensive spectacle during the 2015 regular-season with a career-high 22 goals, eight assists, and a selection to both the MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Best XI, in addition to being named a finalist for the League’s Most Valuable Player award.
Including the playoffs, Kamara led MLS with 26 total goals as Columbus advanced to MLS Cup.
Wil Trapp
As a representative of the Black & Gold in 2016's All-Star Game, Wil Trapp became the first Homegrown Player in Crew SC history to be named an MLS All-Star.
Per Opta, Trapp was one of only two players to successfully complete over 1,600 passes (1,734) during the 2016 MLS regular season. Out of the 93 MLS players to attempt at least 1,000 passes during the same season, Trapp ranked second in passing accuracy with a rate of 88.06%.
The Gahanna, Ohio native made 29 starts on 30 appearances with one assist on the season and was later named as the seventh-ranked player on MLSsoccer.com's 24 Under 24.
Zack Steffen
As a Coach’s Pick by Atlanta United's Gerardo "Tata" Martino, this year’s nod marks another accolade for Steffen, who earlier this season garnered MLS Player of the Month honors after tallying five shutouts in the month of May en route to an undefeated 3-0-2 record.
With seven shutouts in 18 starts this season, the 23-year-old has amassed an 8-6-4 record with 41 saves, including 25 from inside the box, and a league-leading 26 catches. Steffen’s seven shutouts currently rank tied for fourth League-wide.
Notably, the Downingtown, Pa. native, who earlier this summer earned his third cap for the U.S. Men’s National Team in its friendly against France (June 9), set the club record for longest consecutive shutout streak at 525 minutes, lasting from April 28 to June 13.
Wednesday's All-Star match is scheduled to kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of Atlanta United FC, at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, UniMas, TSN, TVA Sports).
