Julian Gressel
![]() Gressel with D.C. United in 2021 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Julian Gressel | ||
Date of birth | 16 December 1993 | ||
Place of birth | Neustadt, Germany | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | D.C. United | ||
Number | 31 | ||
Youth career | |||
2002–2009 | SpVgg Greuther Fürth | ||
2009–2011 | Quelle Fürth | ||
2011–2013 | FC Florida | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2013–2016 | Providence Friars | 83 | (30) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2011–2012 | TSV Neustadt/Aisch | 25 | (3) |
2012–2013 | Eintracht Bamberg | 32 | (1) |
2017–2019 | Atlanta United | 98 | (15) |
2020– | D.C. United | 56 | (4) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 November 2021 |
Julian Gressel (born 16 December 1993) is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. Born in Neustadt, Gressel began his career in Germany before moving to the United States in 2011. He then played college soccer for the Providence Friars for four seasons. In 2017, Gressel signed a contract with Major League Soccer and was selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the first round with the 8th overall pick by expansion side Atlanta United.
After his debut season with Atlanta United, Gressel was named the MLS Rookie of the Year for 2017. He then won his first championship, helping Atlanta United win MLS Cup in 2018. He also was part of Atlanta United sides that won the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Prior to the 2020 season, Gressel was traded to D.C. United.
Career[]
Youth[]
Gressel began his footballing career by playing in the youth academy systems of 2. Bundesliga side, SpVgg Greuther Fürth in 2002. In 2009, Gressel left Greuther Fürth and began playing for the academy set-up of Quelle Fürth.[1]
Gressel played senior-level football in the German regional fifth-tier, the Bayernliga. During the 2011–12 Bayernliga, Gressel had one goal and ten assists.[1] The following season, Gressel played for TSV Neustadt/Aisch in the sixth tier, Landesliga Bayern-Nordwest, where Gressel notched three goals and 12 assists during the 2012–13 Landesliga Bayern-Nordwest campaign.[1]
Collegiate[]
Gressel signed a National Letter of Intent before the 2013 NCAA Division I men's soccer season to play for Providence College's men's soccer program. During the 2013 season, Gressel was an immediate starter, starting and playing in all 22 fixtures the Friars played in.[1] Gressel scored on his collegiate debut on 30 August 2013, in a 3–2 victory over Quinnipiac.[2] In his freshman season, the Friars reached the championship match of the 2013 Big East Men's Soccer Tournament, before losing 3–2 against Marquette.[3] The Friars ultimately earned an at-large bid into the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, where they reached the second round before losing to the fifth-seeded, Maryland.[4] Gressel finished his freshman year with five goals and four assists.[5] He was also awarded with a spot on the 2013 All-Big East Conference Second Team, and on the All-Rookie Team.[1]
During his sophomore and junior seasons, Gressel earned honors on the Big East Conference All-Tournament teams for both the 2014 and 2015 editions of the tournaments.[6] Additionally, during his junior season, Gressell earned spots on the NSCAA Third Team All-Great Lakes Region and the Second Team All-Big East Conference.[6]
Gressel had a breakout season during his senior year at Providence. He led the Friars in total points with 36, accumulating 15 goals and six assists his senior year.[7] Gressel was also rewarded with the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals during the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, during a quarterfinal run which saw Providence, beat CAA Champions, Delaware,[8] upset top-seeded and Big Ten Champions, Maryland,[9] and defeat Big East-rivals, Creighton.[10] In addition, Gressell was listed an NSCAA First Team All-American and a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy.[11] Gressel additionally earned All-Great Lakes First Team honors,[12] All-Big East Conference First Team honors,[13] part of the 2016 Big East Men's Soccer Tournament's first team,[14] and the All-Tournament team for the Rhode Island Capital City Classic.[1]
Professional[]
Ahead of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, Gressel signed a senior college contract with Major League Soccer. Per league policy the terms were not disclosed.[15] On 13 January 2017, Gressel was selected by Atlanta United FC in the first round with the eighth overall pick. Gressel made his professional debut for Atlanta United on 5 March 2017 in a 1–2 loss against New York Red Bulls. Gressel won the 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year honors.[16]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/2017-09-24%2C_Anton_Walkes_and_Julian_Gressel.jpg/220px-2017-09-24%2C_Anton_Walkes_and_Julian_Gressel.jpg)
On 21 January 2020, D.C. United acquired Gressel from Atlanta United for $750,000 in Targeted Allocation Money.[17] Gressel made his debut for D.C. on 29 February 2020, in the season opener against the Colorado Rapids.[18] Gressel scored his first goal for D.C. United on 29 August 2020, in a 1–4 loss against the Philadelphia Union.[19]
Gressel finished the 2021 season with 13 assists, the third most in the league.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Julian_Gressel_DC_United_2020-08-21.jpg/220px-Julian_Gressel_DC_United_2020-08-21.jpg)
Career statistics[]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Eintracht Bamberg | 2012–13 | Regionalliga Bayern | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 1 | ||
Atlanta United | 2017 | MLS | 32 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 35 | 6 | |
2018 | MLS | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 5[a] | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
2019 | MLS | 33 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 3[a] | 2 | 43 | 8 | |
Total | 98 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 118 | 18 | ||
D.C. United | 2020 | MLS | 22 | 2 | — | — | — | 22 | 2 | |||
2021 | 34 | 2 | — | 34 | 2 | |||||||
Career total | 186 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 206 | 23 |
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
- ^ Three appearances in CONCACAF Champions League and one appearance in Campeones Cup
Honors[]
Atlanta United
- MLS Cup: 2018
- U.S. Open Cup: 2019
- Campeones Cup: 2019
Individual
- MLS Rookie of the Year: 2017[22]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f "Player Profile: Julian Gressel". Providence Friars. Friars.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Men's Soccer Defeats Quinnipiac In Home Opener, 3-2". Providence Friars. Friars.com. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Providence College vs Marquette (Nov 17, 2013) Box Score". Providence Friars. Friars.com. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Terps Advance to 12th Straight NCAA Round of 16". Maryland Terrapins. UMTerps.com. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "2013 Providence Men's Soccer Cumulative Season Statistics". Providence Friars. Friars.com. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ a b "Big East Conference Men's Soccer Record Book" (PDF). Big East Conference. BigEast.com. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Providence College Men's Soccer 2016 Statistics: Overall Individual Statistics". Providence Friars. Friars.com. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Men's Soccer Advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament with 2-0 Win Over Delaware". Providence Friars. Friars.com. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ Goff, Steven (20 November 2016). "No. 1 seed Terps squander three-goal lead, lose 5-4 in NCAA men's soccer tournament". The Baltimore Sun. tronc. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Men's Soccer Advances To NCAA Quarterfinals With Victory At Creighton, 2-1". Providence Friars. Friars.com. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Julian Gressel Named 2016 NSCAA First-Team All-American". Providence Friars. Friars.com. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "2016 NSCAA NCAA Division I Men's All-Great Lakes Region Teams". National Soccer Coaches Association of America. NSCAA.com. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "BIG EAST Announces Men's Soccer Regular Season Awards". Big East Conference. BigEast.com. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Butler Wins BIG EAST Men's Soccer Championship Title". Big East Conference. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ Stejskal, Sam (4 January 2017). "MLS announces 2017 Generation adidas class and senior signings". Major League Soccer. MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ "Der deutsche Super-Rookie". kicker (in German). 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ "D.C. United acquires Atlanta United Midfielder Julian Gressel for $750,000 in TAM". 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ Becherano, Lizzy (29 February 2020). "D.C. United disappoints in 2020 opener, falling 2-1 to Colorado Rapids". Black & Red United.
- ^ "Kacper Przybylko brace helps Philadelphia Union roll past D.C. United". ESPN. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ Julian Gressel at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Julian Gressel » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ Stejskal, Sam (8 November 2017). "Atlanta midfielder Julian Gressel wins 2017 AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
External links[]
- Providence College Profile
- Julian Gressel at Major League Soccer
- 1993 births
- Living people
- All-American men's college soccer players
- Association football forwards
- Atlanta United FC draft picks
- Atlanta United FC players
- D.C. United players
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- Footballers from Bavaria
- German expatriate footballers
- German expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- German footballers
- Major League Soccer players
- People from Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim
- Providence Friars men's soccer players