Jake Max Girdwood-Reich Bio
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Auckland FC, where he is on loan from St. Louis City SC of Major League Soccer. A versatile and physically imposing young player, Girdwood-Reich can also be deployed as a central defender when required by his coaching staff. Standing 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) tall and wearing jersey number 3, he has quickly established himself as one of the most promising Australian defensive talents of his generation.
Born on 26 May 2004 in Clovelly, New South Wales, Girdwood-Reich rose through the youth ranks of Sydney FC before making his senior breakthrough in the A-League Men. After a standout 2023–24 season, he secured a transfer to St. Louis City SC and later joined Auckland FC on loan for the 2025–26 campaign. He has also represented Australia at youth international level, including the U-20 and U-23 teams.
Early Life and Background
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich was born on 26 May 2004 in the beachside suburb of Clovelly in New South Wales, Australia. He is Jewish, and his maternal grandmother is a Holocaust survivor, a family background that has shaped his identity off the pitch. His mother briefly worked with UNICEF in Sydney, an organization that eventually partnered with Sydney FC in 2012, helping bring the family closer to the club he would later represent.
Girdwood-Reich grew up a Sydney FC supporter and became a member of the club when he was just six years old. He is also a supporter of Premier League club Arsenal and Scottish club Rangers, an allegiance that comes through the Scottish family of his father. He attended Clovelly Public School for his early education and later enrolled at Endeavour Sports High School, where he played for both the school football teams and New South Wales state school representative sides.
Outside of school football, Girdwood-Reich played junior club football for Sydney University, Sydney Olympic and Scottish club St Johnstone during a brief stint abroad. He later featured in the under-13s for APIA Leichhardt before signing for the Sydney FC Youth setup at the age of 12. He also played futsal for Mascot Vipers and the NSW representative futsal team, experiences that sharpened his close control and reading of the game.
Path to Professional Soccer
Girdwood-Reich’s path into the professional game ran almost entirely through Sydney FC, where he spent the bulk of his formative years. After progressing through the club’s youth system, he was promoted into the Sydney FC NPL squad and trained regularly with senior players. His consistency and maturity at youth level convinced the coaching staff that he was ready for first-team football.
That opportunity arrived in 2022, when Girdwood-Reich made his professional debut in an Australia Cup Round of 32 match against Central Coast Mariners on 31 July 2022. Shortly afterward he stepped up to the A-League Men side, making his league debut as a substitute against Macarthur FC on 29 October 2022. The transition from youth prospect to senior professional was swift, and he quickly became a regular in Sydney FC’s matchday squads.
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich Career
Early Career at Sydney FC (2020–2023)
Girdwood-Reich was part of the Sydney FC Youth system from 2017 before being promoted to the club’s NPL side in 2020. He spent three seasons developing in that environment, learning the defensive and positional demands of senior football. During this period he balanced NPL duties with international youth commitments and school football at Endeavour Sports High School.
His breakthrough into the A-League Men came in the second half of 2022. After his debut against Macarthur FC, Girdwood-Reich won the Sydney FC Rising Star Award at the 2022 Sky Blue Awards night, recognition for his rapid rise from the NPL squad. He continued to feature regularly across the 2022–23 campaign, establishing himself as a reliable option in central midfield and at centre-back.
A-League Breakthrough (2022–2024)
The 2023–24 A-League Men season marked the clearest statement of Girdwood-Reich’s growing reputation. Operating primarily as a defensive midfielder, he delivered consistent performances that drew attention from clubs abroad. His form helped Sydney FC compete at the top end of the league and underlined his readiness for a move overseas.
That standout season was rewarded with selection to the PFA Players A-League Team of the Season for 2024, a vote among his peers that confirmed his status as one of the competition’s leading young players. The honour coincided with interest from Major League Soccer expansion club St. Louis City SC, who moved quickly to secure his signature. Girdwood-Reich departed Sydney FC after four years in the senior setup, having grown from a teenage debutant into an A-League award winner.
St. Louis City SC Era (2024–Present)
Following his standout 2023–24 A-League campaign, Girdwood-Reich was sold to Major League Soccer expansion club St. Louis City SC for an undisclosed fee, widely believed to exceed the previous A-League outgoing transfer record of around $1.3 million set by Adrian Mierzejewski. The move signalled a major step up in profile for the young Australian, who joined a franchise in only its second MLS season.
At St. Louis City SC, Girdwood-Reich has been registered with both the senior squad and the developmental side St. Louis City 2. On 16 September 2025, the club loaned him to Auckland FC for the 2025–26 season as an injury replacement for Nando Pijnaker, reuniting him with former Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica. He made his Auckland FC debut in a 0–0 draw against Melbourne Victory and quickly became a fixture in the starting eleven.
Driving Style and Strengths
Girdwood-Reich is valued for his composure in possession, his aerial ability at 1.86 m and his positional intelligence in front of the back four. Coaches have praised his tactical flexibility, which allows him to operate as a number 6 in a midfield double pivot or step into central defence when matches demand a more conservative shape. His experience in futsal and youth international football has also given him a sharp reading of transitions, both in pressing and in counter-attacks.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most memorable moments of Girdwood-Reich’s early Auckland FC career came on 20 February 2026, when he featured in his third New Zealand derby against Wellington Phoenix. After scooping a clearance high into the air, he inadvertently pressured Wellington goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi into heading the ball into his own net, helping Auckland FC to a 5–0 win. He played the full 90 minutes in each of the three derbies that season, helping his side secure victory in all of them.
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich Career Wins
Although still in the early stages of his senior career, Girdwood-Reich has already collected several notable honours at club and individual level. His award recognition reflects both his rapid rise through the Sydney FC ranks and the respect he earned from peers and coaches across the A-League.
A-League and Club Highlights
Girdwood-Reich’s first major individual honour came in 2022, when he was named Sydney FC Rising Star Award winner at the Sky Blue Awards night shortly after his promotion from the NPL squad. Two years later, he was selected for the PFA Players A-League Team of the Season in 2024, a peer-voted recognition of his standout 2023–24 campaign.
Other Performances
At international level, Girdwood-Reich represented Australia at the U-20 FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament in Uzbekistan in 2023, where Australia were eliminated by the hosts in the quarter-finals. In 2024, at age 19, he was selected for the Australia U-23 squad that competed in the 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship in Saudi Arabia, finishing as runner-up, and he was later named in the squad for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, where Australia did not progress beyond the group stage.
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich Family
Family Background and Heritage
Girdwood-Reich was raised in a culturally rich household in Clovelly, with Jewish heritage on his mother’s side. His maternal grandmother is a Holocaust survivor, a family connection that has shaped his values and sense of identity. His father has Scottish family roots, which influenced Girdwood-Reich’s support for Scottish club Rangers alongside Premier League club Arsenal.
His mother’s early professional work with UNICEF in Sydney led to a partnership between the organization and Sydney FC in 2012, a link that helped bring the young Girdwood-Reich closer to the club he would one day represent professionally.
Personal Life
Jake Max Girdwood-Reich remains focused on his playing career in his early twenties and keeps much of his personal life private. Public details about his relationships and family outside his parents and grandmother have not been widely confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been a defining one for Girdwood-Reich, beginning with his move to Major League Soccer expansion club St. Louis City SC. The transfer, reported to exceed the previous A-League outgoing record of $1.3 million, signalled his arrival as one of Australia’s most valuable young defensive talents.
Midway through 2025, on 16 September, he joined Auckland FC on loan for the 2025–26 season as an injury replacement for Nando Pijnaker, reuniting him with former Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica. He made his Auckland debut in a 0–0 draw against Melbourne Victory and quickly established himself as a regular starter, playing full matches across the New Zealand derby series and contributing to a 5–0 win over Wellington Phoenix in February 2026.
Looking ahead, Girdwood-Reich is expected to remain a key figure for Auckland FC through the rest of the 2025–26 campaign before returning to St. Louis City SC. With senior international recognition still a realistic target, his continued development in New Zealand offers a strong platform to push for higher honours with the Australian senior setup.