MLS: Top 5 goalkeepers in the league right now
By Matt Coles
1. Stefan Frei
Taking the top spot on our list of the best current goalkeepers in Major League Soccer is a two-time MLS Cup winner going into his 12th season in Major League Soccer, Seattle Sounder’s No.1 Stefan Frei.
The Swiss-born shot-stopper spent four years in college before turning professional, playing 47 times for the California Golden Bears, prior to being selected in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He also featured for the San Francisco Seals and the San Jose Frogs in the USL Premier Development League before his MLS debut.
MLS Career & Honours:
- Toronto FC (2009-2013)
- Seattle Sounders (2014-)
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- MLS Cup MVP – 2016
- MLS Save of the Year – 2018
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- MLS Cup – 2016, 2019
- Supporters’ Shield – 2014
- U.S. Open Cup – 2014
- Canadian Championship – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Frei was chosen by Toronto FC with the 13th overall pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft having already signed a Generation Adidas contract, and he instantly became the club’s starting shot-stopper, making his debut in their season opener. He was a key part of the side that won the Canadian Championship in his first four seasons with the franchise, as Toronto dominated the domestic cup competition.
He tallied 81 regular-season appearances in his first three seasons in Toronto, keeping 19 shutouts in the process. However, injuries then stalled his progress, and he would only feature in a single regular-season match over the next two campaigns, after suffering from a broken leg in training, which saw his 2012 season end before it had even started. He then suffered another training injury in the 2013 pre-season, which saw Joe Bendik take the starting job.
After playing just once in 24 months in the league, Frei was traded to Seattle Sounders, and the rest is history. Frei has helped the Rave Green to four major trophies, along with taking home a couple of individual honours in his seven years in the Pacific Northwest.
He was an ever-present in his first season in Seattle and has since missed only six regular-season games since the start of the 2014 campaign, playing in at least 31 games each year. That year, Seattle won the Supporters’ Shield for the first time in their short history. They also lifted the country’s domestic cup competition, the U.S. Open Cup, to win a double.
Fast forward a couple of seasons, and Seattle found themselves in a deep playoff run. The Sounders reached the MLS Cup final having conceded just three goals in five post-season matches, with Frei having recorded three shutouts en route. He would record a fourth clean sheet of the playoffs in the final, as their clash with Toronto FC finished 0-0. The shot-stopper made seven saves during the match, along with a vital stop in the penalty shoot-out as the Sounders won 5-4 on penalties. Frei was named MLS Cup MVP for his efforts in the game.
The goalkeeper then topped the league for clean sheets in 2017, as he recorded 13 shutouts in 33 league games, with Seattle going on to reach the MLS Cup final for a second consecutive season. This time though, Toronto would win out in a repeat of the final a year previous, as they won an unprecedented treble.
The 2018 season saw Frei play in 33 regular-season clashes once more. He made 114 saves, the fourth time that he reached the century mark in league play, along with recorded seven shutouts. Frei was honoured with the MLS Save of the Year for a magnificent late stop to deny Colorado Rapids’ forward Shkelzen Gashi from equalising.
Frie was ever-present in 2019 and he set a career-high for saves in the regular season. He recorded 116 saves, and he helped the Sounders qualify for a third MLS Cup final in four seasons. He would be a presence in between the sticks in the final, as Seattle defeated Toronto for the second time to win the MLS Cup.
Next. MLS: Top 5 goalkeepers in league history. dark
Frei takes the top spot on our list for his consistency over the last six seasons. He has racked exactly 200 regular-season appearances for the Rave Green since making the move to the Pacific Northwest prior to the 2014 campaign, making over 55 shutouts in the process. He remains the club’s No.1 and played in both of their games to open up the 2020 term before the season was halted.