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Behind the Stripes

Julian Gressel

By Atlanta United FC

December 6^th, 2017

Before Julian Gressel earned the title of MLS Rookie of the Year in 2017, he was just a young kid in Germany with an irresistible attraction to the sport.

“My mom would always tell me that I would always have a ball with me, didn’t have to be big, could be a small one, but I would always want to take a ball with me. One of the first words that I said was ‘bai’ or ball in German.”

Today he’s making a living with a ball at his feet, but that was never a guarantee for the 23-year-old Atlanta midfielder.

While his love for soccer never faded, he knew he couldn’t put all his eggs in one basket. The professional route was a glorious but rare one, and because of that, Gressel always tried to combine school and soccer. His decision to attend Providence College in the United States stemmed from a setback at his club in Germany, but the fire inside him never flickered.

“I never really lost the drive I think to still get better at soccer, to work hard and see where it gets me. There was a greater chance that it won’t happen than that it will happen. But I’ll still do everything for it so that it might happen.”

After Gressel’s four years of hard work and an impressive senior campaign, it happened. Becoming the eighth overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft and heading to Atlanta United to begin his professional soccer career was a start he couldn’t have scripted better himself.

“For me it was a dream, not a dream but you hope for it, a lot of playing time, a coach that trusts you in multiple roles and you win rookie of the year. All those things. I didn’t really have many expectations. I just tried to come in here and be who I am, develop as a player, get better and just learn.”

It’s not easy as a rookie to make an impact on a team, let alone impress a new coach, compete with veterans and step into various positions. But Gressel says his motivated mentality from the beginning has guided him to some early, unanticipated success.

“Stay hungry and stay humble. Keep your head down, keep working hard and good things will happen. Those are kind of my sayings. 2017 has only been great. It’s really been an unbelievable ride and I never expected it to be this way. I wished it to be this way but never expected it.”

But his benchmark season couldn’t have been possible without the man leading the Atlanta charge, Tata Martino, a man which Gressel has cultivated a close relationship with since day one.

“I mean from the first training session on, from the first time I stepped on the pitch he’s had high expectations of me which is a good thing. He knew that I was a smart player, and he likes those types of players, that are smart on the field and recognize situations quickly…so those have certainly helped me get on the field.”

And his presence on the field was instant, starting the inaugural match in the club’s history – a night which he claims to be his favorite moment of the journey thus far.

“I think it was not just incredible for me but for the whole club. When we walked out on that pitch for the first time and Yamil scored that goal. We have all these pictures [as he points around the walls of the Training Ground]. I think that was my favorite moment of the year. Just because it’s history… to be able to start in the first game in a club’s history, only eleven players get to experience that. In MLS only so many players get to experience it and in the world, nobody really gets to experience it.”

Little did he or anyone know at the time that the 55,000+ crowd that showed up that night wasn’t just a phenomenon. After smashing league attendance records in just year one of existence, Gressel says the dedicated fandom has surprised him the most.

“How crazy fans are on a Wednesday night, on a Saturday afternoon, on a Sunday night, it doesn’t matter what day, what time, those guys are always there. To see that, no matter if we lose, they still show up the next game. It doesn’t matter what kind of team we would have been, they would have still been there for us. To have that right out of the gate is just incredible.”

Gressel can rave on and on about the season, the fan base, the club, his teammates and the entirety of his Rookie experience. And while it’s impossible to say what the future holds for him, one thing is for certain: Atlanta will forever occupy a special place in the German’s heart.

“I absolutely love it. Like I’ve said 2017 has been incredible and I wouldn’t want to change a thing and that includes the city of Atlanta. Everything I’ve done here, the people are great, fans are great, my living situation’s great, my girlfriend is happy, it’s all those things that come together. It creates this perfect environment. It’s been a true honor to represent Atlanta and Atlanta United on the field and it’s captured the excitement of so many fans. It’s been a true pleasure.”

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