Alex Gersbach
Australian soccer player (born 1997)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexander Joseph Gersbach (/ˈɡɜːrzbæk/ GURZ-bak,[2][3] German: [ˈɡɛʁsˌbax]; born 8 May 1997) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a left-back for A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers.
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Gerbach with Lens in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Joseph Gersbach[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 May 1997[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left-back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Western Sydney Wanderers | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Miranda Magpies | |||||||||||||||||
| Sutherland Sharks | |||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | FNSW NTC | ||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | AIS | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013 | AIS | 16 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Sydney FC | 31 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Rosenborg | 37 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018 | → Lens (loan) | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019 | NAC Breda | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | AGF | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Grenoble | 42 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Colorado Rapids | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Colorado Rapids 2 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Kalmar FF | 19 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Western Sydney Wanderers | 7 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Australia U17 | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Australia U20 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2020 | Australia U23 | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Australia | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 April 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 15 October 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
He made his debut for Australia in 2016, having previously played numerous times for the nation's youth teams.
Early life
Born in Auburn, Sydney to a father of German descent and a mother of Greek descent, Gersbach grew up in Sutherland, in Sydney's South East. For the majority of his school years he attended St Patrick's College, Sutherland, before leaving for the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra where he also attended Canberra High School. Gersbach played his youth soccer for the Miranda Magpies and Sutherland Sharks where he played as a striker.[4]
Club career
Sydney FC
On 20 July 2014, Sydney FC announced that they had signed Gersbach to a two-year deal. Alex was previously given the number 13 jersey, but later swapped with Christopher Naumoff for the number 16. Rated as one of Australia's most promising young footballers, he made his senior professional debut for the club at the age of 17 years and 3 months in the 2014 FFA Cup Round of 32 tie against Melbourne City FC at Morshead Park on 12 August 2014 which Sydney FC won 3–1 after extra time.[5][6]
He made his A-League debut on 11 October 2014 against Melbourne City when he came on for Matthew Jurman after 69 minutes.[7] He put in a promising performance as Sydney FC drew 1–1.
For the 2015–16 A-League season, Gersbach was given the number 3 jersey.
Rosenborg
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On 31 January 2016, it was announced that Gersbach had signed with Norwegian club, Rosenborg BK of the Tippeligaen for a reported fee of $500,000.[8] Gersbach made his Tippeligaen debut for Rosenborg on 19 March 2016 at home to Stromsgodset where he played a full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home victory.
Loan to Lens
On 22 January 2018, Lens announced the signing of Gersbach on a six-month loan deal, with the view to make it a permanent three-year deal at the end of his stint.[9] Given the number 5 jersey, Gersbach made his debut in an unfamiliar centre-back role in a 1–0 loss to US Orléans.[citation needed]
NAC Breda
On 23 January 2019, NAC Breda announced the signing of Gersbach on a 2.5 year contract.[10]
AGF
In July 2019, Gersbach moved to Denmark and joined AGF on a 3-year contract, also getting reunited with his former teammate from the national team Mustafa Amini.[11]
Grenoble
On 31 August 2021, Gersbach secured a move to French Ligue 2 team Grenoble on a 2-year contract.[12]
Colorado Rapids
After playing two seasons for Grenoble, Gersbach joined Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids on 30 January 2023 for a reported fee of €300.000. Gersbach signed a three-year contract with a club-held option for the 2026 MLS season and occupies an international roster spot.[13][14][15] Gersbach made his debut for the Rapids starting in a 4–0 defeat to Seattle Sounders FC on 26 February 2023.
Kalmar FF
On 21 March 2024, Gersbach signed for Kalmar FF on 1.5 year long contract.[16]
Western Sydney Wanderers
On 15 January 2025, it was announced that Gersbach had returned to Australia, signing for the Western Sydney Wanderers on a two and a half year deal.[17] This was a controversial move as he previously played for Sydney derby rivals, Sydney FC. On 13 April, he scored his first A-Leagues goal, which was the 500th goal of the 2024–25 A-League Men season.[18]
International career
On 25 September 2015, Gersbach was selected to play for the Young Socceroos to play in the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification. In March 2016 Gersbach received his first call up to the senior team when he was named in the squad to face Tajikistan and Jordan in World Cup Qualifiers on 24 and 29 March.
On 4 June 2016, Gersbach made his first international appearance for Australia, coming on for Brad Smith against Greece in the 82nd minute and later setting up Mathew Leckie's last second winner.[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 30 January 2023
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Australian Institute of Sport | 2013 | National Premier Leagues | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Sydney FC | 2014–15 | A-League | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Sydney total | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| Rosenborg | 2016 | Eliteserien | 19 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Rosenborg total | 37 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58 | 0 | ||
| RC Lens (loan) | 2017–18 | Ligue 2 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| NAC Breda | 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| AGF | 2019–20 | Danish Superliga | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 2020–21 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AGF total | 8 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 3 | ||
| Grenoble | 2021–22 | Ligue 2 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| 2022–23 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| Grenoble total | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Colorado Rapids | 2023 | MLS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Colorado Rapids 2 (loan) | 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | 149 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 187 | 4 | ||
International
- As of 30 December 2018
| Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 6 | 0 |
Honours
Player
Rosenborg
Australia U-23
- AFC U-23 Asian Cup: 3rd place 2020[21]
Individual
- Harry Kewell Medal: 2017[22]
