Former Swiss Rennes and Borussia Dortmund striker Alexander Frei has been appointed FC Basel coach for two years, the club announced on Monday.
“Former player and interim coach of the club (for a short period in 2018, editor’s note), Alex Frei has signed for two seasons”, announced the Swiss club on Twitter.
The 42-year-old ex-international had just led Winterthur to the Swiss elite by winning the Swiss second division championship.
After taking charge of FC Basel’s youth teams, Frei took over from Spaniard Guillermo Abascal as manager of the professional team, which finished second in the national championship behind Zurich.
Trained in Basel, his hometown, the striker won three Swiss league titles and finished top scorer in the local league in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Top scorer in the history of the “Nati” and emblematic captain of the Swiss selection, with 42 goals in 84 selections, Alexander Frei notably played in Rennes (2002-2006), where he was top scorer in the 2004 French Championship -05 (20 goals), and at Borussia Dortmund (2006-2009).
The Basel has scored more than 300 goals in all competitions in 600 professional matches.
