Stefan Frei

Toronto FC

Frei was named MVP at the 2009 MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and signed a Generation Adidas contract. He was drafted in the first round (13th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC. He made his professional debut on 21 March 2009, in Toronto's first game of the 2009 MLS season against Kansas City Wizards, and soon established himself as the team's first choice goalkeeper. Shortly after, Frei was named Toronto FC Player of the Month for April 2009. Frei also won MLS's Save of the Week for week 15 and then three times consecutively for weeks 24, 25 and 26 of the 2009 season.

He played in three games of the 2009 Canadian Championship, going 3–0 and ultimately making key saves in the deciding game that ensured Toronto FC would win by at least four goals on goal differential and their first trophy. On 25 April 2010, Frei picked up his first clean sheet of the 2010 season in a 2–0 home win over Seattle Sounders FC. Frei had another standout season as Toronto's first choice keeper. He finished the season with a 1.32 goals-against average and a 70% save percentage, improving all statistics from his rookie season. It was announced on 18 November 2010 that Frei would graduate from the MLS Generation Adidas program at the end of the 2010 season. In January 2011, newly hired coach Aron Winter stated in an interview that Julian De Guzman, Dwayne De Rosario and Stefan would be the key players of the upcoming season and he was impressed with…

Frei was a member of the Swiss U-15 national team. In January 2017, Frei was called into camp for the United States national team by Bruce Arena. Frei became a U.S. citizen in June 2017.

As of match played 12 August 2026

Stefan is a second-cousin of the retired captain of, and all-time leading scorer for, the Switzerland national football team, Alexander Frei, an accomplished striker twice voted Swiss player of the year, who used to play for Axpo Super League club FC Basel and was the manager for FC Basel. Frei announced on Twitter that he officially became a U.S. citizen on 13 June 2017. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and two dogs on Bainbridge Island. Frei began painting in his spare time and has collaborated with companies and charitable organizations for his pieces.