Where Sounders’ Stefan Frei finds ‘purpose’ as he approaches milestone
RENTON — Age is an incessant topic in sports.
There’s marveling at talented teenagers. Debates about when or if players are in their prime. Calls for seasoned veterans to retire.
Stefan Frei is fortunate to navigate the arc.
The Swiss-born goalkeeper has won titles in two countries, earned individual awards and ascended in the Sounders and MLS record books. In the twilight of his career, there are still benchmarks to achieve.
Frei is expected to be in goal Wednesday when the Sounders resume the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament. The club is in Monterrey, Mexico, for the opening leg of the quarterfinal series against Liga MX side Tigres UANL.
If the Sounders advance, they will bring Frei closer to reaching the biggest goal he set for his soccer journey — playing until age 40. His milestone birthday is April 20.
“I’m reaching a mindset and a position of privilege that a lot of professional athletes don’t get to experience,” Frei said. “That is getting to a stage where you’re satisfied with your career.”
‘Took a nap and didn’t wake up’
Frei quickly lists the people who helped him reach this point. Team physicians and trainers, technical staff like Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer and goalkeeper’s coach Tom Dutra, teammates, and family like his wife Jennifer.
Typically, Frei’s mother, Marlies would top the list. But now she’s part of his pregame ritual.
Marlies was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that spread throughout her body in December 2022. She underwent surgery to remove brain metastases and had a rare gene mutation where she could take a pill once a day instead of undergoing chemotherapy.
It didn’t alleviate any pain, but Marlies, who moved from Switzerland to Seattle in 2019, was able to take family vacations, bake her son birthday cakes and attend Sounders matches.
The Freis, including brother Michael and his wife, traveled to Las Vegas in January. Stefan created a casino hop game where the meager winnings were pooled and spent on cocktails at a piano bar at the Wynn. The group spotted Vince Vaughn, telling the actor they’ve seen him at Sounders-Los Angles FC matches at BMO Stadium.
Later that month, Marlies departed for bucket-list trip to the Patagonia region of Chile.
“We knew Mom traveled to Chile, had a blast, took a nap and didn’t wake up from the nap,” said Frei, who was at preseason training camp in Marbella, Spain.
“Death is never pleasant,” Frei said. “There’s not a single day that doesn’t go by without me thinking of her, wishing I could text her, talk to her and things. But I also feel selfish for thinking that way because we have friends that go through similar things and their experience is not good memories. They’re clouded with a lot of other memories, brutal months or days or weeks in the hospital. We didn’t have any of that.”
Before matches, Frei talks to his goal posts. The conversation used to be fondly thinking of his first pet Nala, a Shar Pei who died in 2018 of renal failure.
Marlies is now part of the moment.
Frei made his season debut in a CCC match against Vancouver at BC Place in Canada in March. He posted a shutout with two saves. And in the second leg at One Spokane Stadium, he had four saves in a 2-1 win to help the Sounders advance.
‘Great disrespect in that sentiment’
An emphasis on playing in his 40s might not have happened if it weren’t for some early injuries in Frei’s career. He starred at UC-Berkeley and was selected in the first round of the 2009 MLS draft by Toronto FC.
Frei had a strong start to his MLS career, helping the Reds win a Canadian championship in 2011. But in March 2012, he fractured his left fibula and tore ligaments in his ankle during a training session, needing surgery.
After an agonizing rehab, Frei returned and during a preseason match, he suffered a broken nose. He left his post to clear a pass and smacked into the shoe of forward Ryan Finley.
The nose required surgery and Frei was tagged injury prone.
“I took great disrespect in that sentiment,” Frei said. “It motivated me even more. … I take great pride in (playing this long). Absolutely, 100% because I feel like I had to earn it.”
Toronto traded Frei to the Sounders in December 2013 and he’s been the mainstay in goal for them since 2014. Frei has played a club record 424 matches, through all competitions, and helped stuff the trophy case.
The list includes two MLS Cup championships, a CCC title, a U.S. Open Cup trophy and Supporters’ Shield. But there was a shift last season where Frei was part of the gameday roster for the Leagues Cup tournament and Andrew Thomas was the designated starter, leading the Sounders to the championship.
Last fall, Frei was subbed off for the decisive Game 3 playoff match against Minnesota United — a first in his career. Thomas is better when facing penalty kicks, although his saves didn’t help the Sounders advance.
Fans — and Frei — wondered if he’d play another season. He started 35 matches, including the FIFA men’s Club World Cup and had eight shutouts. Yet he also suffered a severe concussion and was 11-7-8 in goal.
According to Frei, he and the coaching staff had a long discussion about what his role would be if he signed another contract. He called it finding “purpose,” which included supporting Thomas in the starting role.
“I have two No. 1s,” Schmetzer quips when asked about his goalkeepers.
Frei signed a deal through June 2027. The contract coincides with MLS adopting a summer-to-spring season format that begins in July 2027.
While Frei didn’t dismiss the possibility of playing past 40, he admitted he’s daydreaming about other opportunities. He moonlights as a painter and will have his first public display at Bainbridge Public Library next year.
For now, there are trophies to chase. The Sounders are the only MLS team to win the CCC title, accomplishing the feat in 2022. Frei was named Player of the Tournament.
“People think when you’ve turned pro, you’ve reached it,” Frei said in reflecting on his 18-year MLS career. “In reality, it’s just the beginning.”