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AUSTIN, TEXAS (Tuesday, July 22, 2025) – In a record-setting competition, the MLS All-Stars defeated the LIGA MX All-Stars in the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Tuesday night. With the final kick of the competition, Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Yohei Takaoka became the first goalkeeper in the Skills Challenge history to strike the crossbar for the Victory Shot to give MLS the win. MLS and LIGA MX competed on behalf of 4ATX Foundation and MAS Cultura resulting in $25,000 donations to their respective charities.
Additionally, Houston Dynamo 2’s Pedro Cruz won the third-annual MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars after defeating Orlando City B’s Carlos Mercado, 4-3, to lift the coveted belt in the club’s home state. The 21-year-old Brazilian took down Adisa de Rosario (Toronto FC II), 5-1, to reach the final and became the first international player to win the competition.
Streamer IShowSpeed and former University of Texas football legend Vince Young both showed off their skills in front of a packed crowd throughout various exhibitions during the night.
MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge presented by AT&T
The 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T kicked off in historic fashion with MLS taking the MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge presented by AT&T. Streamer IShowSpeed displayed his skills with an impressive 25 points before the battle began between MLS and LIGA MX. After a close first round, LIGA MX Femenil’s Nicki Hernández (27 points) and U.S. Women’s National Team captain Lindsey Heaps (35 points) set up a close 60-42 advantage for MLS. In the final round, CF Monterrey’s Sergio Canales tied the Shooting Challenge record with 64 points before FC Cincinnati’s Evander then broke the record with a score of 72 to earn the competition’s first point.
MLS All-Star Touch Challenge presented by Old Spice
The record-setting night continued in the MLS All-Star Touch Challenge presented by Old Spice as LIGA MX won 199-58. Former MLS players and current Club América stars Alejandro Zendejas and Brian Rodríguez produced a record 120 points together after impressive control and touch to set up Luan García (Toluca) and Ángel Sepúlveda (Cruz Azul) to win the point. Zendejas, a former FC Dallas academy product, dominated throughout the course of the challenge to tie it up for LIGA MX.
MLS All-Star Cross & Volley Challenge presented by AT&T
Another MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T first occurred in the MLS All-Star Cross & Volley Challenge presented by AT&T when MLS and LIGA MX tied 75-75. 16-year-old LIGA MX midfielder Gilberto Mora (Club Tijuana) went first and produced 50 points before Sepúlveda added 20 more. In his first Skills Challenge appearance, Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge contributed 25 points until LAFC’s Denis Bouanga came up clutch with 45 to produce the tie.
MLS All-Star Passing Challenge presented by Bounty
In the penultimate competition, MLS took the MLS All-Star Passing Challenge presented by Bounty with a 2-1 win. MLS great Clint Dempsey earned the first point of the challenge by taking down LIGA MX legend Oribe Peralta. Once again, Evander was dominant, taking down Rodrigo Dourado (Atlético San Luis) in just 26 seconds to seal the win in the challenge and give MLS a 3-2 advantage. LIGA MX’s Zendejas would take down Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Sebastian Berhalter in the final leg. IShowSpeed also competed in an exhibition Passing Challenge against Orlando City SC’s Alex Freeman, in which the Lions Homegrown would emerge victorious.
MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette
With glory on the line in the MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette, the MLS All-Stars unlocked the Victory Shot first through LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. The LIGA MX All-Stars quickly followed behind and reached the Victory Shot through Canales. For the first time ever, a goalkeeper hit the Victory Shot as Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Yohei Takoka perfectly struck the crossbar to give MLS the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T victory . It marked the second MLS All-Star victory in the Skills Challenge and knotted up the series, 2-2, against LIGA MX.
All-time MLS All-Star Skills Challenge Winners:
2025: MLS All-Stars
2024: LIGA MX All-Stars
2023: Arsenal FC (England)
2022: MLS All-Stars
2021: LIGA MX All-Stars
2019: Orlando City SC*
*Competition was between Orlando City SC, MLS All-Stars, and Atlético Madrid.
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