Minnesota United’s training session Friday started like so many other practices: Players got a few touches in during a passing drill, following by brief instructions on the day’s tasks from head coach Eric Ramsay. But there was a surprise brewing at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Ramsay added: “And we have one more thing …” Out walked midfielder Robin Lod’s wife, Janni, and their two young children — each wearing his black Loons jerseys. They carried another shirt with them which read: “All-Star” above Robin’s No. 17. Lod has become the sixth all-time MNUFC player selected for the MLS summer showcase, the league and club made official in announcements Monday. Lod was selected by all-star coach Wilfred Nancy of Columbus Crew to be among 30 total players honored for the match against stars from Mexico’s Liga MX at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, on July 24. “He’s been brilliant,” Ramsay said of Lod on Friday. “I’m really pleased that he is now getting the recognition that we as a group of players and staff here would give him. He’s not always able to play in the position he wants to play in, unfortunately, given how we’ve had to chop and change a little bit. But everywhere he has played, he has given his all.” Primarily as a central midfielder, Lod has contributed to 48 percent of the Loons’ total goals this season (16 of 33), with five goals and a team-high 11 total assists in 1,286 minutes across 18 matches this season. Lod has been key for the Loons since the departure of central attacking midfielder Emanuel Reynoso, who was so often at the center of MNUFC’s goal creation before playing only 30 all season and being transferred to Club Tijuana in May. “(Lod’s) obviously got an incredible high level of quality — that’s shown in the goal involvements that he has had,” Ramsay said. “We are really reliant on him. I don’t think anyone can say any different or dare to in a sense. He is our most creative attacking player, and we are thankful that he has done what he has done up to this point because we wouldn’t be in the position we are in without him, for sure.” With Lod leading, the Loons have 29 points through 20 matches and sit in seventh place in the Western Conference going into Wednesday’s home game versus Vancouver Whitecaps. On top of the all-star nod, Lod also is a candidate for MLS comeback player of the year. His resurgence this season comes after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in May 2023 and missing the rest of that season. It was the first major injury in the 31-year-old’s career. Lod, who is under contract through the 2025 season, is the Loons’ second-highest paid player at $1.6 million, according to the MLS Players Association. He is behind fellow Finnish player Teemu Pukki ($3.5 million); the Finns are MNUFC’s two Designated Players. As MNUFC staff put together the all-star surprise for Lod, they reached out to Janni the day before to see if she wanted to participate. “Never in 13 years have I kept a secret from him,” Janni told Ramsay after the announcement. “It was a tough 20 hours.” Ramsay, Janni and a few surrounding staff members shared a laugh. North stars MNUFC players selected for MLS all-star games since 2017: 2024 — Robin Lod 2022 — Dayne St. Clair, Emanuel Reynoso 2021 — Reynoso 2019 — Romain Metanire 2018 — Darwin Quintero, Francisco Calvo