When Stefan Frei and Nick Rimando took the pitch at CenturyLink Field on Saturday ahead of the Seattle Sounders’ match against Real Salt Lake, two of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer stood at opposite ends in silent acknowledgment of their counterpart.
Rimando will go down as the most accomplished ‘keeper in MLS history when it’s all said and done — Frei referred to him as “the gold standard” in the league — and recently earned his 200th career win. He owns the MLS record for victories, minutes, appearances, starts, saves and shutouts.
“He’s someone, myself included but especially young guys wanting to be professional goalkeepers or breaking into the professional ranks, should look up to,” said Frei of Rimando. “His athleticism is second to none. The [penalty kick-stopping] ability is an added bonus and ridiculous.”
Rimando was grateful for Frei’s compliments and praise and was quick to send it back.
“It’s great [to hear that], especially coming from Stefan, who I respect a lot as a goalkeeper,” Rimando told SoundersFC.com. “When you get respect like that from your peers, it means you’re doing something good. It means there are other goalkeepers who respect your craft of goalkeeping and what you bring to the league and to your team.
“[Frei’s] presence back there, his demeanor, his professionalism — obviously that’s on top of the quality goalkeeper that he is,” Rimando continued. “He’s a great shot-stopper, great on crosses. He’s a leader on the back line. I watch him in games and you can tell that his defense and his team depend on him because he’s a leader.”
Rimando (far left) stretching with Frei (far right), Luis Robles and David Bingham at U.S. January camp in 2017 | Stephanie Romero
Frei is third among active goalkeepers in career wins with 83 and will have a chance at No. 84 when the Sounders visit Salt Lake City on Saturday (6:30 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM) in the second of back-to-back matches against RSL. But Frei is still over 100 away from catching Rimando, whose record might never be broken. How Rimando, 38, has been able to play at all, let alone at the top of his game, for 19 seasons is something that in itself has impressed his fellow goalkeepers.
“It’s ridiculous,” Frei said of Rimando’s career. “It speaks to his quality and longevity. You have lots of field players who always say, ‘Oh, you goalkeepers, you don’t have to worry about it, you can play until your 40-something.’ It doesn’t happen on its own. I think we put ourselves in danger a lot as goalkeepers, and a lot of things can happen. A lot of injuries can happen, and that [potentially] long career can be cut short.
“He’s obviously a really good professional who knows how to take care of his body and perform well on and off the field.”
Rimando said the key to playing for so long at such a high level has been listening to his body. It wasn’t just one thing he did, but a multitude of small details that have contributed to such continued success.
“I didn’t want to lose my edge at training,” said Rimando. “I wanted to stay like the younger goalkeepers at training and that pushed me to where I am today in my late 30s. The hardest thing was staying consistent. To have the trust from your players, your coaches, you have to stay consistent out there and continuously make the saves you need to make and occasionally make the big ones that help your team out.”
Added Frei: “He’s a huge role model. He’s someone who’s going to go down in history in this league and soccer in North America.”
