Rob Friend
Robert Douglas Friend (born January 23, 1981) is a Canadian former professional soccer forward and a sports executive. He was born in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, and grew up in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Friend played college soccer in the United States for Western Michigan University and UC Santa Barbara, where he earned All-American honors in 2002 and set a record for scoring in 12 consecutive matches. His pro career took him to Norway (Moss FK and Molde FK), the Netherlands (SC Heerenveen and Heracles Almelo on loan), and Germany (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hertha BSC, Eintracht Frankfurt, and a loan to 1860 Munich). He finished his playing days in Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy in 2014, winning the MLS Cup that year. Over his club career, he appeared in 268 games and scored 79 goals. Internationally, he represented Canada at the U20, U23, and senior levels, earning 32 caps and scoring 2 goals.
Since retiring, Friend has become a prominent sports entrepreneur. He co-founded and serves as president of Vancouver FC, and is CEO and co-founder of Pacific FC. He started Toca Football Canada and helped launch the Canadian Premier League. He is also involved with SixFive Sport Fund and DRG Investment Group.
Friend is married to Mari Bell, with whom he has three children. He was inducted into the UC Santa Barbara Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 09:24 (CET).