MLS star leaves field in ambulance following scary collision with opponent

Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was taken off of the field in an ambulance during Sunday’s match against the Columbus Crew after a scary collision.

In the midst of a 1-1 match, Frei jumped to make a play on a free kick. As he came down, his head collided with the knee of a Crew player. Frei dropped to the ground and players around him signaled for help immediately.

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Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei prepares for the match against Columbus Crew at Lumen Field in Seattle, July 6, 2025. (Kevin Ng-Imagn Images)

He was alert as he left the field, Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. He was being evaluated for head and neck injuries.

"His fingers were moving, so he was OK in that regard. No paralysis, nothing major, but obviously I don't want to downplay it," Schmetzer said.

Schmetzer and Crew coach Wilfried Nancy appealed to the referees to stop the match. He applauded Nancy for getting the ofiicials to call the match even as Columbus was awarded a corner kick in the final moments.

The goalkeeper wrote on social media on Monday that he was back home.

Medics gather around Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei after he was injured during the Columbus Crew match at Lumen Field in Seattle, July 6, 2025. (Kevin Ng-Imagn Images)

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"Still trying to figure out what happened at the end of the game," Frei wrote on X, "but I’m incredibly grateful to all the staff that looked after me and happy to be back home resting now.

"What resonates is all the messages, calls, and love I’ve received from so many of you."

Frei, 39, was born in Switzerland but moved to the U.S. when he was a teenager. He played college soccer at Cal.

He’s been with the Sounders since 2014 and was on their MLS Cup-winning squads in 2016 and 2019. He was the 2016 MLS Cup MVP and an All-Star in 2017.

He was with Toronto FC from 2009 to 2013 before joining Seattle.

Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei reacts during the Club World Cup group B match against Atletico Madrid in Seattle, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)

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The MLS veteran has appeared in 425 matches, starting in 424 of them. He’s played in 343 matches for the Sounders. The team said he made his 1,000th regular-season save in the match against the Crew and only former Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando has more with a single team with 1,128.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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