Joran Gerbet Bio
Joran Gerbet (born 30 June 2001) is a French professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Orlando City. Standing 1.80 meters tall, Gerbet developed through the French youth system before moving to the United States, where he became one of the most decorated college soccer players in recent NCAA history. After starring at Oregon State University and Clemson University, he was selected 27th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft and signed his first professional contract with Orlando City in February 2025.
Across his college career, Gerbet earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Pac-12 Player of the Year, Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, and NCAA First-Team All-America honors. His rapid rise from a small-town French academy to a starting role in MLS has drawn attention from coaches and analysts who praise his positional awareness, passing range, and composure under pressure.
Early Life and Background
Joran Gerbet was born on 30 June 2001 in Saint-Laurent-du-Pape, a small commune in the Ardèche department of southeastern France. He grew up in a region with a strong grassroots football culture, and as a young player he passed through several local clubs, including FC Eyrieux Embroye, Rhône Crussol Foot 07, and Olympique de Valence. These early experiences helped him build the technical base and competitive habits that would later define his game.
Gerbet joined the academy of AJ Auxerre, one of France’s respected football development clubs, where he spent three formative years training at a high level. Although he progressed through the youth ranks, he ultimately chose to pursue a different route to the professional game, opting to continue his development in the American college system rather than sign a professional contract in France at age 18.
Path to Professional Soccer
Gerbet’s pathway to the professional ranks took shape when he moved to the United States and enrolled at Oregon State University, joining the Oregon State Beavers men’s soccer program. His adjustment to college soccer was swift; he debuted on 27 August 2021 in a 3–0 win over the Denver Pioneers and played the full match. By the end of his freshman season, he had recorded two goals and two assists in 20 appearances, performances that earned him Pac-12 Conference Men’s Soccer Freshman of the Year honors.
After two seasons at Oregon State, Gerbet transferred to Clemson University, joining the Clemson Tigers ahead of the 2023 campaign. The move to a top ACC program elevated the level of competition and gave him a platform to showcase his abilities on a larger stage. His development at Clemson culminated in national recognition and ultimately attracted the attention of Major League Soccer scouts ahead of the 2025 draft.
Joran Gerbet Career
Early Career at Oregon State Beavers (2021–2022)
Gerbet’s college career began with the Oregon State Beavers in 2021, where he quickly established himself as a dependable defensive midfielder. On 3 October 2021, he recorded his first collegiate goal contribution with an assist against San Diego State, and on 22 October he scored his first goal in a 3–2 win over the Washington Huskies. His composure and consistency across 20 appearances that season earned him Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors.
In his second and final season at Oregon State, Gerbet added two more assists across 16 appearances and continued to anchor the midfield. His leadership and steady improvement were recognized with the Pac-12 Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year award in 2022, cementing his reputation as one of the conference’s top young midfielders.
Clemson Tigers Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Gerbet transferred to Clemson University ahead of the 2023 season and wasted little time making an impact. He opened his Clemson account on 1 September 2023 with a goal against South Carolina and went on to play a central role in the Tigers’ run to the 2023 ACC men’s soccer tournament title, assisting the game-tying goal against North Carolina in the final and converting his penalty in the shootout victory. In his debut Tigers campaign, he recorded three goals and three assists.
His senior season in 2024 was his most productive yet. He produced his first multi-goal performance against Stanford on 6 September, scored his first brace against North Carolina on 4 October, and added three assists in a 6–1 rout of Syracuse on 25 October. He finished the year with seven goals and eight assists, was named Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year, and was selected to the 2024 NCAA Division I First-Team All-America squad. In December 2024, he was invited to the adidas MLS College Showcase in San Diego.
Orlando City Era (2025–Present)
On 20 December 2024, Gerbet was selected 27th overall by Orlando City in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. He made his unofficial debut on 25 January 2025 in a Florida Cup friendly against Atlético Mineiro, converting the winning penalty in a shootout victory. On 17 February 2025, Orlando City signed him to a one-year contract with club options through 2028.
Gerbet made his official MLS debut on 22 February 2025 as a substitute against Philadelphia Union, and on 10 May he recorded his first professional goal contribution with an assist in a 3–3 draw with the New England Revolution. On 18 May, he earned widespread praise for his defensive work marking Lionel Messi in a 3–0 win over Inter Miami, earning a place on the MLS Team of the Matchday bench. Head coach Óscar Pareja publicly endorsed Gerbet’s midfield qualities. On 4 October, he suffered a torn left anterior cruciate ligament against the Columbus Crew, underwent successful surgery on 17 October, and saw his 2026 club option exercised at season’s end.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gerbet is recognized for his tactical intelligence, clean distribution, and ability to read the game from a deep midfield position. Coaches have highlighted his composure under pressure and his capacity to break up opposition attacks while launching transitions, traits that allowed him to successfully mark elite playmakers during his rookie MLS season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments are his role in Clemson’s 2023 ACC tournament title, his 2024 NCAA First-Team All-America selection, and his performance marking Lionel Messi in Orlando City’s 3–0 win over Inter Miami. His selection 27th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft and his first professional goal contribution against the New England Revolution also stand out as early career milestones.
Joran Gerbet Career Achievements
Gerbet’s college résumé is one of the most decorated in recent NCAA men’s soccer history, highlighted by Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Pac-12 Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and NCAA First-Team All-America honors. At the club level, he added an ACC men’s soccer tournament title with Clemson in 2023 before beginning his professional career with Orlando City in 2025.
College and Club Honors
Gerbet’s awards include the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, the 2022 Pac-12 Player of the Year, the 2024 ACC Player of the Year, and 2024 NCAA Division I First-Team All-America recognition. With Clemson, he helped the Tigers win the 2023 ACC men’s soccer tournament, contributing a crucial assist in the final and converting in the penalty shootout. These accomplishments reflect a consistent upward trajectory from his first college season through his senior year.
Other Notable Performances
Beyond his award-winning seasons, Gerbet recorded career highs of seven goals and eight assists during his 2024 senior campaign at Clemson and produced a brace against North Carolina and a hat-trick of assists against Syracuse. His early MLS contributions, including an assist and a high-profile defensive outing against Inter Miami, signaled a smooth transition to the professional level.
Joran Gerbet Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Gerbet was raised in Saint-Laurent-du-Pape in the Ardèche department of France, a small community that shaped his early introduction to football. Publicly available information about his parents and extended family is limited, and he has not shared extensive details about his personal or family background in official profiles.
Personal Life
Gerbet relocated to the United States to pursue his education and soccer career, first at Oregon State University and later at Clemson University. He is currently based in Florida with Orlando City, where he signed his first professional contract in February 2025. There is no publicly confirmed information regarding a spouse or children.
2025 Season Performance
Gerbet’s 2025 season with Orlando City began with his signing in mid-February and an immediate integration into the first-team squad. He made his MLS debut late in the opening match against Philadelphia Union and continued to earn substitute and rotational minutes through the spring, recording his first professional assist against the New England Revolution on 10 May. His standout performance came on 18 May against Inter Miami, where he drew praise for his defensive work against Lionel Messi in a 3–0 Orlando City victory.
As the season progressed, Gerbet remained part of Óscar Pareja’s midfield rotation and received consistent endorsement from the coaching staff for his development and tactical awareness. His campaign was cut short on 4 October when he suffered a left anterior cruciate ligament injury against the Columbus Crew, leading to surgery on 17 October. Despite the injury, Orlando City exercised his contract option for 2026, signaling long-term confidence in his recovery and future with the club.
