Sounders FC Announces 2023 Team Awards

SEATTLE, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC today announced its 2023 team award recipients, as voted on by Sounders FC’s players at the conclusion of the MLS regular season. Stefan Frei was voted Most Valuable Player for third time, also winning the award in 2018 and 2022, as well as Humanitarian of the Year for the fifth time, his third consecutive year taking home the award. Yeimar Gómez Andrade earned the club’s Defender of the Year for the fourth consecutive season, while Jordan Morris took home Seattle’s Golden Boot title for the second time after leading the club with 11 goals in the regular season.

SOUNDERS FC MOST VALUABLE PLAYER & HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR – STEFAN FREI

Stefan Frei wins his second consecutive and third overall Sounders FC Team MVP in 2023, putting in a career-best year in multiple categories. Frei started 32 matches in 2023, recording 77 saves with a 73.3 save percentage. The goalkeeper also notably recorded 14 clean sheets, the most in MLS this year while setting the club record for most shutouts in a single season, topping his own mark he set back in 2017. The club captain ended the regular season with a 0.88 goals against average, a new career best and the best mark of any goalkeeper this year with more than 10 appearances. Frei previously won Team MVP in 2018 and 2022, as well as Defender of the Year in 2015 and 2019.

Continuing his efforts of charitable works in the greater Seattle area, Frei earns his fifth overall and second consecutive Humanitarian of the Year Award, previously winning in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. A player ambassador to RAVE Foundation’s GOALS for Art program, Frei consistently worked in support of Sounders FC and RAVE Foundation’s work to Defend the Right to Play and support youth from underserved communities. The goalkeeper leveraged his platform and art skills to help foster social-emotional wellness and belonging amongst youth while reaffirming their position as stakeholders in their communities. Frei regularly sought out opportunities this year to grow RAVE’s impact by donating tickets to local professional and collegiate sporting events, such as Seattle Kraken hockey and University of Washington football games, for underserved youth to attend. As an artist and proud Seattle community member, Frei has donated original works of art to community nonprofits for fundraising and has collaborated with community youth to create an art installation that now adorns the two recently opened mini-pitches in Seattle’s NewHolly community.

SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER OF THE YEAR – YEIMAR GÓMEZ ANDRADE

Yeimar started 32 of 33 appearances for the Rave Green in 2023, leading the team in minutes played. A finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, Yeimar led MLS with 73 interceptions, 12 more than the next-closest player. The central defender helped anchor a backline that only allowed 32 goals during the regular season, tied for fewest in MLS, while winning 56.8 percent of his duels and 61.8 percent of his headed duels. This marks the fourth consecutive Sounders FC Defender of the Year award for Yeimar in as many seasons with the club.

SOUNDERS FC GOLDEN BOOT – JORDAN MORRIS

Leading the Rave Green with 11 goals in the regular season, Morris wins his second Sounders FC Golden Boot Award, also winning in 2016 during his MLS Rookie of the Year campaign. Morris also crossed the 50 regular-season goal mark this season, becoming the third Homegrown Player in MLS history to achieve that milestone. The Mercer Island native notably became the first player in Sounders FC history to score four goals in a match during a 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on March 25, earning him Player of the Matchday honors.

Sounders FC finished the season with a 14-9-11 record, good enough for second place in the Western Conference, advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals before falling 1-0 to LAFC. The club heads into the offseason with its sights set on the 2024 campaign, which kicks off early next year.

SOUNDERS FC HISTORICAL TEAM AWARDS WINNERS

2023

MVP: Stefan Frei

Defender: Yeimar Gómez Andrade

Humanitarian: Stefan Frei

Golden Boot: Jordan Morris

2022

MVP: Stefan Frei

Defender: Yeimar Gómez Andrade

Humanitarian: Stefan Frei

Golden Boot: Raúl Ruidíaz

2021

MVP: João Paulo

Defender: Yeimar Gómez Andrade

Humanitarian: Stefan Frei

Golden Boot: Raúl Ruidíaz

2020

MVP: Jordan Morris

Defender: Yeimar Gómez Andrade

Humanitarian: Cristian Roldan

Golden Boot: Raúl Ruidíaz

2019

MVP: Jordan Morris

Defender: Stefan Frei

Humanitarian: Stefan Frei

Golden Boot: Raúl Ruidíaz

2018

MVP: Stefan Frei

Defender: Chad Marshall

Humanitarian: Stefan Frei

Golden Boot: Raúl Ruidíaz

2017

MVP: Cristian Roldan

Defender: Chad Marshall

Humanitarian: Jordan Morris

Golden Boot: Clint Dempsey

2016

MVP: Osvaldo Alonso

Defender: Chad Marshall

Humanitarian: Jordan Morris

Golden Boot: Jordan Morris

2015

MVP: Obafemi Martins

Defender: Stefan Frei

Humanitarian: Brad Evans

Golden Boot: Obafemi Martins

2014

MVP: Obafemi Martins

Defender: Chad Marshall

Humanitarian: Dylan Remick

Golden Boot: Obafemi Martins

2013

MVP: Osvaldo Alonso

Defender: Leo Gonzalez

Humanitarian: Lamar Neagle

Golden Boot: Eddie Johnson

2012

MVP: Osvaldo Alonso

Defender: Jeff Parke

Humanitarian: David Estrada

Golden Boot: Eddie Johnson

2011

MVP: Osvaldo Alonso

Defender: Jeff Parke

Humanitarian: James Riley

Golden Boot: Fredy Montero

2010

MVP: Osvaldo Alonso

Defender: James Riley

Humanitarian: James Riley

Golden Boot: Fredy Montero

2009

MVP: Kasey Keller

Defender: Tyrone Marshall

Humanitarian: Taylor Graham

Golden Boot: Fredy Montero