Fire signs German World Cup veteran Friedrich

The Chicago Fire has signed German defender Arne Friedrich, a 32-year-old World Cup veteran who is expected to solidify the club’s backline this season and help them return to the playoffs.

“Arne is a talented defender that brings strength, experience and depth to our backline,” said Fire head coach Frank Klopas. “His international credentials and track record in the German Bundesliga give our young players another great professional example to learn from.”

Hailing from Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, Friedrich has represented the German national team 82 times since his first appearance in 2002. During that time, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound defender has played 13 of a possible 14 games while helping Die Mannschaft to matching third place finishes at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.

“I’m excited to take the next step in my career with the Chicago Fire,” said Friedrich. “Coming to the United States was an intriguing prospect and I’m looking forward to joining the club and playing in Major League Soccer.”