Torsten Frings
Encyclopedia
Torsten Frings is a German football midfielder
who plays for Toronto FC
in Major League Soccer
and is known for his vision and an explosive, powerful shot.
before a move to Werder Bremen
in 1996–97, helping the Weserstadion
outfit to a German Cup final defeat of Bayern Munich
in 1999 and tallying more than 160 Bundesliga appearances and 15 goals over six seasons.
Cup but he opted for a four-year deal with Borussia Dortmund
for a reported fee of €10 million, penning the contract two games into the competition. A regular in his first term at the Westfalenstadion, Frings also played 12 times in the UEFA Champions League
, scoring home and away against Lokomotiv Moscow.
Frings's 2003–04 season only began on 30 January when he played against Schalke 04
, his first game since damaging his knee against VfL Bochum
in July. He took over from Tomáš Rosický
in the playmaking role and scored four times in 16 games before signing a three-year contract with Dortmund's rivals, Bayern Munich.
.
into the Champions League group stage.
team Toronto FC
as a designated player. Frings made his debut for Toronto on 20 July 2011 in a 1–0 home defeat to FC Dallas
. On 29 July 2011, Frings made his CONCACAF Champions League
debut against Real Esteli F.C. in which he was given the honour of wearing the captain's armband for Toronto.
. He can play anywhere across midfield, although he is most comfortable running deep from his own team's box to the opposition's box. He is however deployed as defensive midfielder where his tough tackling is useful. Frings scored Germany's fourth goal in a 4–2 win against Costa Rica in the opening match of the 2006 World Cup
on 9 June 2006 with a powerful drive from more than 30 yards.
Following Germany's penalty shootout victory over Argentina
on 30 June 2006, Frings was fined and suspended by FIFA
for two games (one of which is subject to a six-month probationary period) for his role in the brawl that broke out between the Argentine and German teams after the match. After reviewing video footage of the brawl, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee determined that Frings had punched Argentine forward Julio Cruz
and levelled punishment accordingly, even though Cruz himself had denied that Frings punched him; the second game of the suspension was made probationary due to the Committee's determination that Frings had been provoked into fighting. This suspension decision, announced by FIFA only the day before Germany's semi-final versus Italy
on 4 July 2006, rendered Frings unavailable for the important match.
The controversy of the decision was also sparked by the fact that Frings' role in the brawl had been widely accentuated in the Italian media after FIFA had already announced it closed its investigations against German players. Frings answered to the accusations in an interview: "This is all politics. The Argentinians attack us, I defend myself and the Italians get worked up. With this suspension, FIFA just wanted to show that Germany doesn't get special treatment as the World Cup hosts."
Frings was also called up to Germany's Euro 2008 squad, but was not included in the team for the 2010 World Cup
by German coach Joachim Löw. He played his last international match on 11 February 2009 against Norway.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who plays for Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and is known for his vision and an explosive, powerful shot.
Early career
His professional career began at third division Alemannia AachenAlemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
before a move to Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
in 1996–97, helping the Weserstadion
Weserstadion
The Weserstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Bremen, Germany. The stadium is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks . The city center is only about a kilometer away...
outfit to a German Cup final defeat of Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in 1999 and tallying more than 160 Bundesliga appearances and 15 goals over six seasons.
Borussia Dortmund
In 2002, a number of Europe's leading clubs were on Frings's trail prior to the World2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
Cup but he opted for a four-year deal with Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
for a reported fee of €10 million, penning the contract two games into the competition. A regular in his first term at the Westfalenstadion, Frings also played 12 times in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, scoring home and away against Lokomotiv Moscow.
Frings's 2003–04 season only began on 30 January when he played against Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
, his first game since damaging his knee against VfL Bochum
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum, is a German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding to World War II:...
in July. He took over from Tomáš Rosický
Tomáš Rosický
Tomáš Rosický is a Czech footballer who plays for Arsenal and captains the Czech national team. He has a brother named Jiří who is also a footballer...
in the playmaking role and scored four times in 16 games before signing a three-year contract with Dortmund's rivals, Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich
Despite winning the domestic double with Bayern and making 29 Bundesliga and ten Champions League appearances, Frings never really enjoyed his football in Munich, and was played out of position by coach Felix MagathFelix Magath
Wolfgang-Felix Magath is a former German football central midfielder and current manager of VfL Wolfsburg.-Playing career:...
.
Werder Bremen
In June he rejoined Bremen for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal, helping them past FC BaselFC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
into the Champions League group stage.
Toronto FC
On 29 June 2011, it was announced that Frings had reached an agreement to join Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
as a designated player. Frings made his debut for Toronto on 20 July 2011 in a 1–0 home defeat to FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. On 29 July 2011, Frings made his CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
debut against Real Esteli F.C. in which he was given the honour of wearing the captain's armband for Toronto.
International career
Frings is an all-action, versatile midfielderMidfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He can play anywhere across midfield, although he is most comfortable running deep from his own team's box to the opposition's box. He is however deployed as defensive midfielder where his tough tackling is useful. Frings scored Germany's fourth goal in a 4–2 win against Costa Rica in the opening match of the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
on 9 June 2006 with a powerful drive from more than 30 yards.
Following Germany's penalty shootout victory over Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
on 30 June 2006, Frings was fined and suspended by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
for two games (one of which is subject to a six-month probationary period) for his role in the brawl that broke out between the Argentine and German teams after the match. After reviewing video footage of the brawl, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee determined that Frings had punched Argentine forward Julio Cruz
Julio Ricardo Cruz
Julio Ricardo Cruz is a former Argentine footballer.-Early career:A tall, physical striker at , Cruz started his career with Banfield in 1993. He moved to River Plate in 1996.-Feyenoord:...
and levelled punishment accordingly, even though Cruz himself had denied that Frings punched him; the second game of the suspension was made probationary due to the Committee's determination that Frings had been provoked into fighting. This suspension decision, announced by FIFA only the day before Germany's semi-final versus Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 4 July 2006, rendered Frings unavailable for the important match.
The controversy of the decision was also sparked by the fact that Frings' role in the brawl had been widely accentuated in the Italian media after FIFA had already announced it closed its investigations against German players. Frings answered to the accusations in an interview: "This is all politics. The Argentinians attack us, I defend myself and the Italians get worked up. With this suspension, FIFA just wanted to show that Germany doesn't get special treatment as the World Cup hosts."
Frings was also called up to Germany's Euro 2008 squad, but was not included in the team for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
by German coach Joachim Löw. He played his last international match on 11 February 2009 against Norway.
Personal
Frings is married to Petra and they have two children, Lisa-Katharina and Lena Alina. His hobbies include spending time with his family and riding his motorbike.Career statistics
| Club performance | |Cup | |Continental | Germany | |DFB-Pokal DFB-Pokal The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga... | DFB-Ligapokal DFB-Ligapokal The DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany... | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... | Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... | Bundesliga Fußball-Bundesliga The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga... |
1996–97 | 15 | 0 | - | - | - | 15 | 0 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 28 | 2 | - | - | - | 28 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–99 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 3 | 32 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 38 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2000–01 | 30 | 1 | - | - | - | 30 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–02 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 36 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Borussia Dortmund Borussia Dortmund Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football... |
2002–03 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 46 | 8 | ||||||||||
| 2003–04 | 16 | 4 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 17 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups.... |
2004–05 | 29 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 45 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... |
2005–06 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 44 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2006–07 | 33 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 49 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | 11 | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 1 | - | 5 | 0 | 39 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010... |
30 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 46 | 10 | |||||||||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter... |
32 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 39 | 7 | |||||||||||||
| Canada | |Canadian Championship Canadian Championship The Canadian Championship—known as the Nutrilite Canadian Championship for sponsorship reasons—is an annual soccer tournament contested by premier Canadian professional teams... | MLS Playoffs MLS Cup Playoffs The MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer held at the end of the regular season en route to the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. 10 teams in total from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference qualify for the tournament based on regular-season... | North America CONCACAF The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean... | Toronto FC Toronto FC Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.... | MLS Major League Soccer Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada... |
2011 2011 Major League Soccer season The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver... |
13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||||||
| Career totals | Canada | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Career statistics | 415 | 49 | 27 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 84 | 13 | 537 | 66 | |||||||||||
Club
- Werder BremenSV Werder BremenSV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
- BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
Runner-up: 2007–08 - UEFA Cup Runner-up: 2008–09
- DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 1998–99, 2008–09 - DFB-LigapokalDFB-LigapokalThe DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
: 2006
- Bundesliga
- Bayern MunichFC Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
- BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
Champion: 2004–05 - DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 2004–05 - DFB-LigapokalDFB-LigapokalThe DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
: 2004
- Bundesliga
- Minor Honours
- Toronto FCToronto FCToronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
- Trillium CupTrillium CupThe Trillium Cup is an annual, two-team rivalry between the Columbus Crew and Toronto FC of Major League Soccer . The Trillium Cup is named after the trillium, which is both the official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario, and the official wildflower of the U.S. state of Ohio...
(1): 2011
- Trillium Cup
National team
- FIFA Confederations CupFIFA Confederations CupThe FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
Third Place: 20052005 FIFA Confederations Cup-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack... - FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Runner up: 20022002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0... - FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Third place: 20062006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... - UEFA European Football ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
Runner-up: 2008
External links
- MLS player profile
- Torsten Frings at Werder Bremen official site