Walker Zimmerman selected to MLS All-Star game

Zimmerman photo courtesy USA Soccer

From Club release:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 4, 2021) – Nashville Soccer Club in conjunction with Major League Soccer announced today that defender Walker Zimmerman has been selected to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, presented by Target.

Zimmerman returns to Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles for the first time since joining Nashville SC via trade from LAFC. The center back will join the best of MLS under the leadership of LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley as they face the best of LIGA MX on Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. CT on FS1 and Univision.

Zimmerman will be appearing in his second MLS All-Star Game and his first as a Nashville SC player. The 28-year old has anchored Nashville SC’s defense to become one of the most successful backlines for an expansion side in league history.

Thus far in 2021, Zimmerman has earned five shutouts in 10 appearances as the club has improved its goals-against average from 0.96 in 2020, the best ever for an expansion club, to 0.94 in 2021.

In the club’s inaugural MLS campaign, Zimmerman’s stellar performance, both in defense and offensively with three goals including the club’s first ever goal in MLS history, earned him the 2020 MLS Defender of the Year and MLS Best XI honors as well as the club’s Most Valuable Player.

As an active member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, Zimmerman was most recently called up to participate in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup where he wore the captain’s armband for the first time in his international career in a 6-1 victory over Martinique.

The roster was determined through a combination of fan, player and media voting (13 players), designations by All-Star Head Coach Bob Bradley (13 players) and a pair of selections by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

Nashville SC release

2021 MLS All-Star Game Roster

Zimmerman’s inclusion shouldn’t come as any surprise: he’s the reigning League Defensive Player of the Year, after all, but with his journey back from a hamstring strain suffered on international duty, the hope certainly has to be that he’s ready to go by Aug. 25, and that the cross-country travel (with a game in between) isn’t too strenuous on legs that are trying to get some rest.