Fabian Frei

Fabian Frei
Frei with Basel in 2019
Personal information
Full name Fabian Frei
Date of birth (1989-01-08) 8 January 1989
Place of birth Frauenfeld, Switzerland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team
Winterthur
Number 11
Youth career
1998–2000 Frauenfeld
2000–2004 Winterthur
2004–2007 Basel
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Basel II 31 (11)
2007–2015 Basel 172 (15)
2009–2011St. Gallen (loan) 64 (13)
2015–2018 Mainz 05 53 (1)
2018–2024 Basel 214 (25)
2024– Winterthur 30 (2)
International career
2004–2005 Switzerland U16 11 (4)
2005–2006 Switzerland U17 14 (10)
2006–2007 Switzerland U18 5 (2)
2007–2008 Switzerland U19 7 (5)
2008 Switzerland U20 3 (0)
2008–2011 Switzerland U21 18 (4)
2012 Switzerland Olympic 4 (0)
2011–2022 Switzerland 24 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 June 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 November 2022

Fabian Frei (born 8 January 1989) is a former Swiss professional footballer who primarily played as a defensive midfielder and a centre-back. He is best known for holding the records for most appearances in competitive games for giants FC Basel and for most appearances in the Swiss Super League, with 543 and 468 appearances, respectively. During his time in Basel, he won five Swiss championships and three Swiss Cups.

Until June 2011, he played for the Swiss U-21 team, with whom he was the runner up at the 2011 U21 Euro. He made his international debut for senior national team on 7 October 2011 and was also selected to represent Switzerland at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He made 24 appearances for the national team and participated at two senior international tournaments, the UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

He is of no relation to former club and country teammate Alexander Frei.