Stefan Frei

Stefan Frei started out in the semi-professional USL PDL, turning out for the San Francisco Seals and San Jose Frogs while he was still a student at the University of California, Berkeley, before MLS came calling.

The move that reshaped his career came in December 2013, when Seattle signed him from Toronto for a conditional first-round pick. He has been there ever since, and the club has since extended his contract through to 2027. In Seattle, Frei became the identity of the side between the posts: he won the Supporters' Shield and the US Open Cup in 2014, then lifted the MLS Cup twice, in 2016 and 2019, picking up MVP of the 2016 final. In 2022 he added the CONCACAF Champions League, where he was named both Golden Ball and Golden Glove winner.

The numbers back up the reputation. Frei holds Seattle's club records for appearances, saves and wins, and sits second all-time in MLS shutouts and third in saves among goalkeepers in the league's history.

Off the field, his path to a US passport took years: born in Altstätten, Switzerland, he only obtained American citizenship in 2017, which opened the door to the national team, though he was left out of the squads for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.