Stefan Frei

Top Plays of 2016 | No. 1: Stefan Frei makes "The Save" in the MLS Cup Final

Editor's Note: With 2016 winding to a close, SoundersFC.com is taking a look back at the top 10 plays of the Seattle Sounders' 2016 season. We'll release the full list over the course of the week, with the final play being announced on Dec. 31. Take a look at the Honorable Mentions and the full list as it's released.
The Sounders will kick off the 2017 season on Saturday, March 4 against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium.



Stefan Frei’sphysics-defying fingertip save on Jozy Altidore with two minutes remaining in the second period of extra time in the 2016 MLS Cup Final was not just the best play of the Seattle Sounders’ season. It is the best play in Seattle’s MLS franchise history and one of the best ever in the league’s championship match.


To try and describe with words exactly how impressive it was would be an exercise in futility. There simply aren’t enough adjectives to accurately define it.


So go ahead and relive the moment for yourself above, over and over as many times as you please. It’s a lasting memory — Frei even tattooed a star on his hand in commemoration of the Sounders’ victory — that will not only be the play of this year, but the play of every year, too.

2026 Season Membership Deposits

2026 Season Membership Deposits

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Two Tickets & Two Beers (vs. Portland Timbers)

Two Tickets & Two Beers (vs. Portland Timbers)

Come out to Lumen Field to watch your Seattle Sounders take on Portland with this special ticket offer sponsored by Michelob Ultra. For just $40 + Taxes & Fees, get two tickets & two beers for the match. For 21+ fans only and drinks must be picked up in the North Plaza 21+ beer garden prior to kickoff.

Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. PT on October 4.

Match & Merch Bundle (vs. Portland Timbers)

Match & Merch Bundle (vs. Portland Timbers)

Add a limited-edition Cascadia Rivalry t-shirt to your ticket to the Portland Timbers match. Matchday pick up info will be communicated prior to the match via email.

Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. PT on October 4.