One player is riding the momentum from the end of 2016, while the other has made an epic return from 2016 woes. Either way it’s sliced, goalkeeper Stefan Frei and forward Clint Dempsey have been imperative to the successes of the team this season. Outside of 2009 originals Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans, they, alongside Chad Marshall, are the longest-tenured players on the squad.
Much has been said about Stefan Frei’s MVP-winning performance in the 2016 MLS Cup last December, but what has come in the ensuing 10 months is perhaps more impressive.