Jump to content

George Bello

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Bello
Bello at anAtlanta Unitedevent in 2018
Personal information
Full name George Oluwaseun Bello[1]
Date of birth (2002-01-22)January 22, 2002(age 22)
Place of birth Abuja,Nigeria
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 LASK
Number 2
Youth career
0000–2011 Southern Soccer Academy
2011–2016 Alpharetta Ambush
2016–2018 Atlanta United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Atlanta United 2 19 (1)
2018–2021 Atlanta United 52 (3)
2022–2023 Arminia Bielefeld 31 (0)
2023– LASK 36 (0)
International career‡
2017 United States U15 5 (0)
2017–2019 United States U17 7 (1)
2021–2022 United States 7 (0)
Medal record
RepresentingUnited States
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2021
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 2, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 10, 2022

George Oluwaseun Bello(born January 22, 2002) is an American professionalsoccerplayer who plays as aleft-backforAustrian BundesligaclubLASK.

Early years

[edit]

Born inAbuja,Nigeria, Bello moved with his family toDouglasville,Georgia,when he was a year old.[2]During his early career, he played for Southern Soccer Academy, a youth soccer club affiliated with English clubChelsea,and the Alpharetta Ambush, where he played for five years.[2]While playing at Alpharetta Ambush, he played with futureAtlanta United academyteammateZyen Jones.[2]

After spending five years with the Alpharetta Ambush, Bello moved to the academy side atAtlanta United FC,a new expansion club forMajor League Soccer.[2]His former coach, Tony Annan, now at Atlanta United as their academy director, was the one to reach out to Bello to join his side.[2]

In 2017, a couple of months after signing a professional contract with Atlanta United FC, Bello helped Atlanta United's under-16 side win theU.S. Soccer Development AcademyU16 Championship.[3]His performance during the season saw him named 2016–17 East Conference U15/16 Player of the Year and also included in the East Conference U15/16 Best XI.[3]

Club career

[edit]

Atlanta United

[edit]

On June 17, 2017, Bello, alongside teammatesLagos KungaandPatrick Okonkwo,was signed byAtlanta United FCto ahomegrownplayer contract which would start in 2018.[4]He made his professional debut on March 31, 2018, forAtlanta United 2,the club's reserve team, againstCharlotte Independence.He started and played the whole match in a 2–2 draw.[5]

On September 2, 2018, Bello made his debut for the Atlanta United FC senior side in theirMajor League Soccermatch againstD.C. United.He came on as a 76th-minute substitute forHéctor Villalbaas Atlanta United FC were defeated 3–1.[6]He scored his first professional goal a month later on October 6 against theNew England Revolution.He scored his team's opening goal in the 17th minute of a 2–1 Atlanta United FC victory.[7]During the2018 MLS Playoffs,Bello featured for Atlanta United FC twice from the bench but did not play as Atlanta United FC won the2018 MLS Cup.[8]

The next season, Bello made his international club debut for Atlanta United FC in theCONCACAF Champions LeagueagainstHeredianoon February 21. He started as a left-wide back as Atlanta United FC were defeated 3–1.[9]In May 2019, it was confirmed that he would miss two to three months of the season with an injury to his right adductor.[10]Returning in August, Bello went on to only play 12 matches with Atlanta United 2 in theUSL Championshipand none with Atlanta United FC during the2019 season.[11]

Arminia Bielefeld

[edit]

On January 31, 2022, Bello joined GermanBundesligasideArminia Bielefeldon a four-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[12][13]

LASK

[edit]

On July 14, 2023, Bello signed a contract as a free agent forAustrian BundesligasideLASKuntil 2026.[14]

International career

[edit]

Bello has represented the United States at both theunder-15andunder-17level. He was part of the under-15 squad that won the Torneo Delle Nazioni in 2017. The United States won every match in which he started.[15]On October 10, 2019, he was named in the under-17 squad for theFIFA U-17 World Cup.[16]

In January 2021, Bello was called into theUnited States national teamfor their friendly againstTrinidad and Tobago.[17]He made his debut in the match on January 31, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute in the 7–0 victory.[18]On July 17, 2021, he was named by head coachGregg Berhalterinto the 23-man squad for the2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[19]He started in two matches for the United States as they made it into the final againstMexico.Bello was named as a starter for the match and played 65 minutes as the United States won 1–0 after extra-time.[20]

Personal life

[edit]

Bello is named after his grandfather, Georgie.[21]His father was an amateur player in Nigeria and helped Bello develop his interest in the game.[15]Bello also ran track and field in high school and helped his school win the 2016 Georgia team state championship.[21]His favorite soccer players growing up wereNeymarandLionel Messibut he also was interested in the left back position and watched videos ofDavid AlabaandMarcelo.[15]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
As of match played November 2, 2024[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Atlanta United 2 2018 United Soccer League 6 0 – – – 6 0
2019 USL Championship 12 1 – – – 12 0
2020 USL Championship 1 0 – – – 1 0
Total 19 1 – – – 19 1
Atlanta United 2018 Major League Soccer 3 1 0 0 – 0 0 3 1
2019 Major League Soccer 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 0 0 1 0
2020 Major League Soccer 20[c] 1 – 1[b] 0 – 21 1
2021 Major League Soccer 29 1 – 4[b] 0 1[d] 0 34 1
Total 52 3 – 6 0 1 0 59 3
Arminia Bielefeld 2021–22 Bundesliga 10 0 – – – 10 0
2022–23 2. Bundesliga 21 0 2 0 – 2 0 25 0
Total 31 0 2 0 – 2 0 35 0
LASK 2023–24 Austrian Bundesliga 24 0 3 0 6[e] 0 – 33 0
2024–25 Austrian Bundesliga 12 0 3 1 3[f] 0 0 0 18 1
Total 36 0 6 1 9 0 0 0 51 1
Career total 138 4 8 1 15 0 3 0 164 5
  1. ^IncludesDFB-PokalandAustrian Cup
  2. ^abcAppearance(s) inCONCACAF Champions League
  3. ^Includes two appearances inMLS is Back Tournamentgroup stage
  4. ^Appearance inMLS Cup Playoffs
  5. ^Appearances inUEFA Europa League
  6. ^Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, oen appearance inUEFA Conference League

International

[edit]
As of match played June 10, 2022[22][23]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
United States 2021 6 0
2022 1 0
Total 7 0

Honors

[edit]

Atlanta United

United States

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^"FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: USA"(PDF).FIFA. October 31, 2019. p. 24. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on December 27, 2019.
  2. ^abcdePatrick, Joe (August 10, 2018)."George Bello: Atlanta United's 16-year-old wonderkid on the brink of a breakthrough".Dirty South Soccer.RetrievedFebruary 19,2020.
  3. ^ab"George Bello named US Soccer Development Academy Player of the Year".Dirty South Soccer.July 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 19,2002.
  4. ^Rodriguez, Alicia (June 17, 2017)."Atlanta United FC sign three Homegrown players for 2018 season".Major League Soccer.RetrievedFebruary 19,2020.
  5. ^"Charlotte Independence 2–2 Atlanta United 2".Soccerway.
  6. ^"D.C. United 3–1 Atlanta United FC".Soccerway.
  7. ^"Atlanta United 2–1 New England Revolution".Soccerway.
  8. ^"Atlanta United 3–1 New York City FC".Soccerway.
  9. ^"Herediano 3–1 Atlanta United FC".Soccerway.
  10. ^Huntle, Sydney (May 3, 2019)."George Bello out for 2-3 months with injury to right adductor".Dirty South Soccer.RetrievedFebruary 19,2020.
  11. ^Patrick, Joe (February 10, 2020)."George Bello cleared from hospital after head injury; says injury not" as bad as feared "".Dirty South Soccer.RetrievedFebruary 19,2020.
  12. ^"Atlanta United Transfers Defender George Bello to Arminia Bielefeld in German Bundesliga | Atlanta United FC".atlutd.
  13. ^"DSC Arminia verpflichtet George Bello".arminia.de.January 31, 2022.
  14. ^"LASK SIGNS US INTERNATIONAL GEORGE BELLO".US Soccer.July 14, 2023.RetrievedJuly 16,2023.
  15. ^abcSciaretta, Brian (August 15, 2018)."U.S U-17 standout George Bello eyeing a breakthrough with Atlanta".American Soccer Now.RetrievedFebruary 20,2020.
  16. ^"HEAD COACH RAPHAEL WICKY NAMES USA ROSTER FOR 2019 FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL".US Soccer.October 10, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 20,2020.
  17. ^Usry, Rob."Miles Robinson, George Bello named to USMNT senior roster for friendly".Dirty South Soccer.RetrievedSeptember 18,2021.
  18. ^"United States 7–0 Trinidad and Tobago".Soccerway.
  19. ^Edwards, Andy (July 17, 2021)."23-man USMNT roster for Gold Cup".NBC Sports.RetrievedSeptember 18,2021.
  20. ^"United States 1–0 Mexico".Soccerway.
  21. ^ab"George Bello".US Soccer.
  22. ^abGeorge Belloat Soccerway
  23. ^"George Bello".National Football Teams.
  24. ^"United States beats Mexico in Gold Cup final on late Miles Robinson header".ESPN.August 1, 2021.RetrievedApril 25,2023.
  25. ^"2021 MLS All-Star Team Roster".MLSsoccer.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Bello&oldid=1255476177"