The newest midfielder/defender for St. Louis CITY SC is a Jewish Australian. Jake Girdwood-Reich recently signed with the team through 2027, with a club option for 2028. Girdwood-Reich must first obtain international clearance and a P-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign athletes to participate in U.S. sports.

In 2023, Girdwood-Reich was included in a Young Socceroos squad that played in the AFC U20 men’s Asian Cup in against teams from Vietnam, Iran and Qatar. The host country, Uzbekistan, won the cup. He will be available to play for St. Louis CITY SC after July 18. Girdwood-Reich is a top Australian player and helped lead Sydney FC to their second Australia Cup title.

“I’ve always wanted to move overseas and give it a crack,” Girdwood-Reich said earlier this week in Australia. “I can’t wait to test myself against some very, very good players. I really like the way they play. The stadium and their fans are incredible. They pack it every week.”

Girdwood-Reich, 20, was born in Clovelly, New South Wales to a Scottish father and a Jewish mother. His middle name (Max) is a tribute to his maternal grandfather Mendel, a Holocaust survivor who migrated to Australia after World War II.

| RELATED: How Lev Furman’s dream job became a reality on the sideline for St. Louis City SC