Benji Michel

For the New Zealand rugby league player, see Benji Marshall.

Benji Michel

Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Stanley Michel [1]
Date of birth	(1997-10-23) October 23, 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth	Orlando, Florida, United States
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) [2]
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Real Salt Lake
Number	28
Youth career
2013–2016	Orlando City
2016	Montverde Academy
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Portland Pilots	53	(31)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Portland Timbers U23s	12	(10)
2019–2022	Orlando City	103	(15)
2023–2024	Arouca	17	(1)
2024–	Real Salt Lake	2	(0)
2024–	Real Monarchs	1	(0)
International career‡
2021	United States U23	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 6, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 24, 2021

Benjamin Stanley "Benji" Michel (born October 23, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake.

Having played college soccer for the Portland Pilots, he was signed to a homegrown contract by Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer ahead of the 2019 season.

Club career

Youth and college

Michel grew up in Orlando, Florida, and played for the Orlando City U-18s, where he scored 25 goals for the U.S. Development Academy. While at Montverde, Michel helped the team build on a record 136-game unbeaten streak, which started in 2010. ^[3]

He played college soccer at the University of Portland from 2016 to 2018, scoring 31 goals in 53 matches. ^[4] In his freshman year, Michel was named West Coast Conference (WCC) Freshman of the Year. In 2018, he was named to the USC All-American Second Team and was the first Pilot since 2002 to be named an All-American by the United Soccer Coaches. ^[5]

In May 2018, Michel featured twice for Portland Timbers U23s during their U.S. Open Cup campaign. ^[6]

Orlando City

On December 31, 2018, Orlando City announced the signing of Michel to a Homegrown contract. He became the club's fifth homegrown player and the first to be born in Orlando and come up through the Development Academy. ^[3] He made his professional debut as a substitute on March 31, 2019, in a 2–1 defeat to D.C. United. On June 19, Michel scored his first professional goal in extra-time of Orlando's 2–1 U.S. Open Cup win over New England Revolution. ^[7] He scored his first MLS goal on July 13, 2019, in a 1–0 victory over Columbus Crew. In July 2019, Michel was selected to take part in the MLS Homegrown Game. ^[8] He left Orlando upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2022 season. On November 6, 2020, Michel was awarded Goal of the Week due to his winning goal against Columbus Crew in a 2–1 victory two days earlier. ^{[9] [10]}

Arouca

On January 6, 2023, Michel officially joined Portuguese side Arouca, signing a contract until June 2025. ^[11] On January 15, 2023, Michel made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Chaves, entering the match at the 68th minute. Five days later, Michel scored his first goal in a 4–0 win over Portimonense.

Real Salt Lake

On July 19, 2024, Michel returned to the United States, joining Real Salt Lake for the remainder of the 2024 season in exchange for a 2nd round 2025 MLS SuperDraft selection and $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money. ^[12]

International career

Although born in Orlando, Florida, Michel is also eligible to play for Haiti through his Haitian parentage.

On March 12, 2019, Michel received his first call up to the Haitian national team for their final CONCACAF Nations League qualifying match against Cuba. ^[13] However, he declined the call up. ^[14] On May 20, 2019, Michel was added to Haiti's preliminary 2019 Gold Cup roster. ^[15]

In June 2019, Michel was called into the United States under-23 Summer Training Camp by Jason Kreis. ^[16] In January 2021, Michel was called up to the senior United States national team for the first time for a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago but was an unused substitute. ^{[17] [18]} Michel was named to the final 20-player United States under-23 roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship in March 2021. ^[19]

Career statistics

College

School	Season	Total
		Apps	Goals
Portland Pilots	2016	19	10
	2017	17	10
	2018	17	11
NCAA Total		53	31

Club

As of May 20, 2023 ^[20]

Club	Season	League			National cup [lower-alpha 1]		League cup [lower-alpha 2]		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Orlando City	2019	MLS	17	5	3	1	—		—		—		20	6
	2020		21	5	—		2	0	—		3 [lower-alpha 3]	1	26	6
	2021		34	4	—		1	0	1 [lower-alpha 4]	0	—		36	4
	2022		31	1	4	2	1	0	—		—		36	3
	Total		103	15	7	3	4	0	1	0	3	1	118	19
Arouca	2022–23	Primeira Liga	12	1	—		1	0	—		—		13	1
	2023–24		5	0	1	0	—		—		—		6	0
	Total		17	1	1	0	1	0	—		—		19	1
Career total			120	16	8	3	5	0	1	0	3	1	137	20

1. Includes U.S. Open Cup and Taça de Portugal
2. Includes MLS Cup Playoffs and Taça da Liga
3. Appearances in MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage
4. Appearances in Leagues Cup

Honors

Orlando City

• U.S. Open Cup: 2022

References

1. "40-Player National Team Roster: 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup: Canada" (PDF). CONCACAF. p. 2. Retrieved May 20, 2019– via Bernews.
2. "Benji Michel". Orlando City SC. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
3. "Orlando City SC Signs Homegrown Forward Benji Michel | Orlando City". orlandocitysc.
4. "Benji Michel – Men's Soccer". University of Portland Athletics. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
5. Culver, Jordan; USA, Pro Soccer (December 29, 2018). "Orlando City to sign forward Benji Michel to Homegrown contract". Pro Soccer USA. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
6. Day, Danny (May 9, 2018). "Timbers U23s Dominate in 5–0 US Open Cup Win over Kitsap". Timbers U23. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
7. Perez, Mark (June 19, 2019). "Orlando City 2, New England Revolution 1 | 2019 US Open Cup Match Recap". MLS Soccer.
8. "Roster announced for 2019 MLS Homegrown Game". mlssoccer.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
9. "ORLvsCLB 11-04-2020". Major League Soccer . November 4, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
10. Sigal, Jonathan (November 6, 2020). "Orlando's Benji Michel wins AT&T Goal of the Week after late Week 23 strike". Major League Soccer . Retrieved September 18, 2024.
11. "Benji Michel no Arouca". www.ojogo.pt (in Portuguese).
12. "Real Salt Lake Adds Former U.S. Youth International Forward Benji Michel to 2024 Roster | Real Salt Lake". rsl.
13. "Foot – Sélection : Benji Michel, le nouvel attaquant des Grenadiers". Haiti-Tempo. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
14. Culver, Jordan; USA, Pro Soccer (March 12, 2019). "Orlando City midfielders Will Johnson, Sebas Méndez earn national team call-ups". Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
15. "78 MLS players named to preliminary rosters for 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
16. "U-23 MNT Gathers for Summer Training Camp in Herriman, Utah". US Soccer.
17. "USMNT name squad with 10 uncapped players to face Trinidad & Tobago". www.goal.com.
18. "USA 7 - Trinidad & Tobago 0: Match Report & Stats". www.ussoccer.com.
19. "U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team Head Coach Jason Kreis Names Roster for Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship". www.ussoccer.com. March 11, 2021.
20. "USA – B. Michel – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved March 12, 2019.

External links

• Benji Michel at Soccerway.com
• Benji Michel at WorldFootball.net
• Benji Michel at FBref.com
• Benji Michel at Major League Soccer