TUKWILA — Finalists for Major League Soccer’s regular-season awards were released Thursday, which means snubs have been the trending league topic on social media the past two days.
Sounders center back Yeimar Gomez Andrade made the cut for Defensive Player of the Year, his second nod since signing with the club in 2020. Joao Paulo was a finalist in the Comeback Player of the Year category. The midfielder suffered an ACL injury in May 2022 and returned to the form that made him a 2021 MLS Best XI winner.
The stout defenders — and teamwide focus on defending front to back this season — is the explanation repeated on the social media platform X as to why Stefan Frei didn’t make the cut for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Frei won the MLS Golden Glove award with a league-leading 14 clean sheets this season, which broke his Sounders record of 13 shutouts set in 2017.
“It’s a joke, actually,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said of Frei not making the top three in a tally that combines votes from media, league players, coaches and general managers. “I shouldn’t get upset. … I’m not sure why Stefan Frei continues to not be involved in that conversation. Maybe the conversation is there, but he just misses out. It’s odd.
“Tell me a goalkeeper that makes the critical saves when the team needs it the most more than Stefan Frei. You tell me that. I don’t care if guys are better with their feet or guys are one good player on a bad team or wherever you want to land on this conversation. You name one goalkeeper that makes that save when the team absolutely needs it; show me some film.”
St. Louis City keeper Roman Burki has long been the favorite to win the award since the expansion side won the top overall seed in the Western Conference. The Swiss international is an MLS rookie who made 123 saves and had eight clean sheets. But he conceded five goals to the Sounders in two losses.
FC Cincinnati keeper Roman Celentano, whose side won the Supporters’ Shield for best finish in MLS regular-season competitions, is also a finalist with 87 saves and 12 clean sheets. Orlando City keeper Pedro Gallese rounded out the top three with 79 saves and 10 clean sheets.
Analytics show Frei’s goals-against average is lower than the three finalists at 0.87, and the Sounders tied for fewest goals conceded at 32 this season. Frei had 77 saves.
Yeimar leading the league in interceptions at 73 and Joao Paulo leading in tackles at 43 could make an argument that Frei is rarely tested. Burki had three matches with at least eight saves.
“Stef had an amazing year, but this job is done because everybody on the team is doing well,” Joao Paulo said in echoing Frei’s belief that clean sheets are a team statistic, not just for goalkeepers.
Frei, who’s in his 10th season with the Sounders, was named a finalist for the keeper’s award in 2017 and 2018. He’s consistent in stating he doesn’t care about the individual honor, just trophies. One of his idols, former Real Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando, was never named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
Rimando retired a 20-year MLS career in 2019 as the league leader in all-time appearances (514), wins for a keeper (223), saves (1,701) and clean sheets (154).
“(Goalkeeper of the Year) used to be one of my goals,” Frei told Herculez Gomez, host of Vamos podcast on the Men in Blazers network. “2018, for me statistically was my best year, I thought. I’m not going to lie. I was devastated. (Former Columbus Crew SC keeper) Zack Steffen ended up winning the whole thing. Unbelievable goalkeeper. So, from that point on, honestly, I made sure that things that I could not control would not become my goal. So, for me, it’s what do I want to have as my long term and short-term goals and just kind of pick them that way.”
Frei was in goal for the Sounders’ two MLS Cup wins and CONCACAF Champions League title. The second-seeded Sounders begin pursuit of a third league trophy Monday with a best-of-three series opener against seventh-seeded FC Dallas at Lumen Field.
The clubs played to a pair of 1-1 draws during the regular season. The new postseason format permits for a draw at the end of regulation, but no extra time. The winner will be decided via a penalty-kick shootout.
“It doesn’t make sense at all,” Sounders defender Alex Roldan said of the playoff changes. “Trying to add more games and turn this into an NBA format doesn’t make sense with this sport. … Teams are going to bunker down and they’re going to go for the PKs and the opportunity to win it there. It can be anyone’s game when it comes to PKs.”
The possibility of advancing in the postseason because of the saves of a goalkeeper is why the Sounders are thankful they have Frei between the posts — regular-season award finalist or not.
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