Switzerland’s all-time leading goal scorer, Alexander Frei, retired from professional football in 2013. He remains one of the most prolific strikers in the history of the Swiss national team, holding the record with 42 goals in 84 appearances.
While many former players pursue coaching or management roles, Frei took an unexpected path—he traded football for cheese.
A four-time Swiss champion with Basel, his boyhood club, Frei scored 108 goals in 167 matches. Over his career, he also played for Servette, Luzern, and Thun in Switzerland, as well as enjoying successful stints abroad with Rennes in France and Borussia Dortmund in Germany. By the time he retired, his club career totaled 270 goals in 512 matches, alongside his impressive international record.
Now 45, Frei has completed a specialized course in Switzerland, earning certification as a cheese evaluator—a qualification that allows him to work in one of the country’s most iconic industries. He has long had a passion for cheese, with Gruyère being his favorite.
“The course was an exciting and completely new experience for me. I learned all about milk consistency, cheese production, and its different qualities. I’ve always loved cheese, but seeing the full process behind it was eye-opening. The course took four months and required passing four final exams. The ‘Swiss Cheese Organization’ initially invited me while I was coaching Aarau, and after I left that role in March, I decided to take the opportunity since I had more free time,” Frei shared.
“I’m not planning to open a cheese shop right away, but I will definitely start something in the cheese industry next year. It will begin on a small scale, but I have big ambitions for the future,” the former striker added.
