The 2025 MLS All-Star Game ended with a 3–1 win for MLS over Liga MX at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.
After last year’s one-sided loss to Liga MX, this result brought a sense of redemption.
Three of MLS’s top strikers—Sam Surridge, Tai Baribo, and Brian White—found the back of the net in front of a lively home crowd.
Interest in the game took a small hit before kickoff when Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba were dropped from the matchday squad.
Still, fans packed the stadium. The rivalry between MLS and Liga MX delivered its usual intensity, even in an exhibition setting.
Early on, Liga MX controlled possession. Sergio Canales managed the tempo in midfield, with Sergio Ramos organizing the defense. Ángel Sepúlveda led the attacking line.
It took about ten minutes for things to get going, but then Evander and Hirving Lozano really started to cause some problems for Austin.
The home fans had their first big reason to cheer in the 19th minute, though, when their keeper, Brad Stuver, absolutely robbed Canales with a massive save to keep it 0-0.
MLS opened the scoring nine minutes later. Denis Bouanga’s shot was parried by Liga MX keeper Luis Malagón. The rebound fell kindly. Bouanga recovered, set up Surridge, and the Nashville SC striker rose to head in the goal.
There was a brief VAR check. The goal stood.
Coach Nico Estévez rotated the squad heavily before halftime, giving several players minutes. He made more changes after the break, including bringing on U.S. men’s national team prospect Diego Luna.
It paid off quickly. Just five minutes into the second half, Philadelphia Union forward Tai Baribo doubled the MLS lead.
But Liga MX finally found its spark in the 63rd minute, and it came from a teenager. Tijuana’s 16-year-old Gilberto Mora pulled one back with a goal that also etched his name in the record books as the youngest scorer in All-Star Game history.
But MLS regained the two-goal cushion soon after. Brian White made it 3–1, capping off a clinical performance from the league’s forward line.
The win marked a shift from last year’s disappointment. MLS players looked sharp, confident, and ready to compete.
There’s not much time to rest. MLS clubs return to league play Saturday. And both leagues will clash again soon when the Leagues Cup kicks off.
For now, though, MLS heads home with bragging rights.
