Video-game goals get Di Vaio to All-Star Game By Charles Posted on July 11, 2013 1 0 703 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Marco Di VaioIt was an unusual way to make an All-Star team. But MLS leading goal-getter Marco Di Vaio will round out the First XI for the July 31 All-Star match which will see some of the top players in MLS square off against AS Roma in Kansas City. The Montreal Impact forward was named to the team today through a promotion which saw gamers around the world, ahem, vote through FIFA Soccer 13. Basically, every time a gamer used one of 26 MLS forwards to score a goal, that player would get a vote. Di Vaio scored 73,868 video-game goals around the world this week. (Basically, what you do is have the Impact face one of the weakest teams in the game, set the controls to the easiest level you can, and wham, score score score). The gimmick got Di Vaio to the All-Star Game. But is it really all that more gimmicky than the homer-laden fan votes that we so often see decide All-Star selections in all the major sports? MLS announced the other 10 members of the First XI last weekend, and Canadian Will Johnson was one of the players who got the most fan votes by position. But, just because a player is named to the First XI, it doesn’t mean he will start the match. Those decisions are left to coach Peter Vermes. Though, starting an Italian forward against an Italian club (and, Di Vaio spent an early portion of his career at Lazio, Roma’s hated arch rival) would be special.
