his first cap in France's final UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Ukraine on 21 November 2007. The match ended in a 2–2 draw after he erred on Andriy Shevchenko's equalising goal. He was a member of France's Euro 2008 finals squad. On 20 August 2008, after being continually overlooked by manager Raymond Domenech, despite his excellent form for Fiorentina, and the constant calls for his selection by the French media, Frey announced his retirement from international football at the age of just 28. Style of play Known for his leadership, composure, mentality, strength of character, personality, and consistency, Frey was regarded as one of the best Serie A goalkeepers of his generation throughout his career. A dynamic and agile keeper, who was highly regarded for his acrobatic shot-stopping and aerial ability, he was known in particular for his reactions and his athleticism in goal, as well as his positional sense, speed and ability to rush out in one on one situations, although he was less effective at coming off his line to claim crosses, and performed better between the posts; a former outfield player in his youth, in addition to his goalkeeping abilities, Frey also possessed reliable ball skills and distribution with his feet. Personal life Frey's grandfather, André, was a French international footballer, and his father, Raymond, was also a professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. His younger brother, Nicolas, currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A team Chievo. Frey is a Buddhist (Soka Gakkai), and credited former Fiorentina legend Roberto Baggio as one of his spiritual mentors. Career statistics Club International Honours Parma Coppa Italia: 2001–02 Individual Guerin d'Oro: 2000 References External links Profile at ACF Fiorentina official site France national team profile and stats – fff.fr 21st-century Buddhists AS Cannes players Inter Milan players Hellas Verona F.C. players Parma Calcio 1913 players ACF Fiorentina players Genoa C.F.C. players Bursaspor footballers Association football goalkeepers France international footballers French expatriate footballers French footballers French Buddhists Serie A players Süper Lig players Expatriate footballers in Italy Expatriate footballers in Turkey UEFA Euro 2008 players Sportspeople from Haute-Savoie 1980 births Living people French expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Converts to Sōka Gakkai Nichiren Buddhists People from Thonon-les-Bains Footballers from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes