Best of 2021 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge

Despite all the pressures and heartbreak that are caused by our love of soccer, MLS and Liga MX helped us remember that the sport truly is the greatest form of entertainment on earth on Tuesday night.

The watching world was treated to only the second ever edition of the All-Star Skills Challenge, pitting the silkiest performers from MLS against the heroes of Mexican top-flight Liga MX.

The tournament took place at Banc of California Stadium in front of a raucous crowd, as their idols were put to the test to see who boasted the very best technique and skills needed to be crowned champions of the competition.

The All-Star Skills Challenge was broken down into five categories, which saw the two sets of eight players compete in a variety of tricky games. Ultimately, the tournament went down to the very last contest, after MLS won the Shooting Challenge and the Cross & Volley Challenge, while Liga MX claimed the Touch Challenge and the Passing Challenge.

Cruz Azul star Jonathan Rodriguez was the hero for his division, striking the crossbar from 50 yards to give Liga MX a 26-25 victory in the Crossbar Challenge, and clinching the tournament for the Mexican representatives.

There was plenty of action and bags of fun to be had in the All-Star Skills Challenge, so 90min has picked out the best bits from each round for you to enjoy.

1. Zelarayan dominates Shooting Challenge 

MLS got off to a super start in the tournament, hammering Liga MX in the Shooting Challenge. Lucas Zelarayan was the hero of the hour, striking the majority of the targets with deadly accuracy from the penalty spot.

The Colombus Crew star even hit the moving target, which was worth a whopping 20 points, propelling MLS All-Star to the most comfortable of victories.

Zelarayan's calm, measured approach will be analysed and replicated in Skills Challenge tournaments for years to come!

2. Orbelin Pineda - King of Touch Challenge

Next up was the ultimate test of 'how's your touch?'. Both sides had to collect balls coming from different angles, control them and loop them into giant holes on the target.

Cruz Azul star Orbelin Pineda showed us all how it's done, putting on an absolute masterclass in the art of control and accuracy. With Liga MX a worrying 77 points behind MLS, Pineda delivered a stunning individual display to turn the game on its head.

He scored 50 points in the space of a few seconds, clipping and dinking balls into the 20 and 10 point holes, demonstrating insane ability and cold-blooded nerve.

Pineda scored a huge 108 points in total to give Liga MX the win.

3. Guzman's hilarious antics in Cross & Volley Challenge

The games really came alive in the Cross and Volley Challenge. Ricardo Pepi was the man for MLS, bagging the points to win the competition with some outrageously clinical strikes from inside the square.

Aware Liga MX were in trouble, goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman pulled out all the stops to try and slow down the forward - even resorting to some hilarious time-wasting antics.

The shot-stopper dived in vain to stop Pepi's rasping volley, but then refused to get back to his feet, indicating that he had suffered a bout of cramp.

Despite 'needing treatment', MLS were having none of it, and goalkeeper Andre Blake dished out a red card to the time-wasting Argentine. Good fun.

4. Valdes & Sambueza magicians of Passing Challenge

The competition was far from over, though. Rubens Sambueza and Diego Valdes made sure Liga MX remained in contention, destroying MLS in the Passing Challenge.

Previous heroes Zelarayan and Pepi had a bit of a nightmare in the challenge, and the Liga MX pair made light work of the round, running out 6-2 winners with some precise shots at their targets.

That meant it was all set up nicely, going into the final round: the Crossbar Challenge.

5. Rodriguez the hero in dramatic Crossbar Challenge

And so, it all came down to this: a Crossbar Challenge. Time to separate men from boys, winners from losers, crossbar hitters from crossbar missers.

With the scores locked at 25-25, it all rested on one kick of the ball from around the halfway line. Time for heroes. After several close shaves, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of Liga MX's Rodriguez.

He flighted the ball high in the air, and it came crashing down, rattling the crossbar on its return to earth. Liga MX players celebrated wildly, chanting and cheering in delight.

Heartbreak for MLS, but it was the dramatic end that this fantastic competition deserved! Same again, next time?