BRIDGEVIEW Ill. – Wilman Conde couldn’t help but be a little surprised when he learned that he would be joining Fire teammate Marco Pappa in Houston for next week’s All-Star Game against Manchester United.
“I know there are a lot of defenders that have been doing a great job with their respective clubs,” Conde said on Monday. “The fact that I was one of the chosen ones … it’s a huge surprise.”
The nod is the second straight All-Star selection for the Colombian, who has started and played in every minute of all but one of the Fire's regular season games in 2010. The 27-year-old was an MLS Best XI selection last year.
Conde, a 2009 MLS Best XI selection, said that he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing off against the likes of Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov and Nani in next Wednesday’s match.
“I am really happy and it is great news for my family and me,” Conde said. “Being nominated among a lot of good MLS players is gratifying, and playing against a team like Manchester United will be an unforgettable experience.”
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.
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