Julian Gressel from Neustadt an der Aisch in Franconia is Major League Soccer champion for the second time in his career. Columbus Crew beat Los Angeles FC 2:1 in the final at their own stadium
Gressel was substituted in the closing stages of Columbus Crew’s 2:1 (2:0) victory over LAFC, coached by ex-Hanoverian Steven Cherundolo. As in 2018, when he triumphed with Atlanta United (2-0 in the final against Portland), the Franconian, who now also has a US passport, added his name to the list of winners.
Cucho Hernandez (33rd, penalty) and Yaw Yeboah (37th) gave the hosts the lead in the first half, Denis Bouanga (74th) scored the equalizer for Timothy Tillman’s LAFC. The 24-year-old former Germany international moved to the USA this summer from second-division club SpVgg Greuther Fürth. The Californians had beaten Philadelphia 3-0 on penalties in the final last year
Wandering from East to West and back to East
In the end, Columbus celebrated its third MLS triumph after 2008 and 2020. Gressel comes from Neustadt/Aisch in central Franconia and played for SpVgg Greuther Fürth, among others, as a youth player. He transferred to a college in the US state of Rhode Island back in 2013. Gressel was selected in the MLS draft in 2017 and has since played for Atlanta, D.C. United, the Vancouver Whitecaps and, since this year, Columbus. He made his debut for the US national team in January 2023.
