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George Bello

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George Bello
Bello at an Atlanta United event 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 38 (0)
International career‡
2017 United States U15 5 (0)
2017–2019 United States U17 7 (1)
2021–2022 United States 7 (0)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2021
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 23, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 10, 2022

George Oluwaseun Bello (born January 22, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a left-back for Austrian Bundesliga club LASK.

Early years

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Born in Abuja, Nigeria, Bello moved with his family to Douglasville, 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 club Chelsea, and the Alpharetta Ambush, where he played for five years.[2] While playing at Alpharetta Ambush, he played with future Atlanta United academy teammate Zyen Jones.[2]

After spending five years with the Alpharetta Ambush, Bello moved to the academy side at Atlanta United FC, a new expansion club for Major 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 the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U16 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

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Atlanta United

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On June 17, 2017, Bello, alongside teammates Lagos Kunga and Patrick Okonkwo, was signed by Atlanta United FC to a homegrown player contract which would start in 2018.[4] He made his professional debut on March 31, 2018, for Atlanta United 2, the club's reserve team, against Charlotte 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 their Major League Soccer match against D.C. United. He came on as a 76th-minute substitute for Héctor Villalba as Atlanta United FC were defeated 3–1.[6] He scored his first professional goal a month later on October 6 against the New England Revolution. He scored his team's opening goal in the 17th minute of a 2–1 Atlanta United FC victory.[7] During the 2018 MLS Playoffs, Bello featured for Atlanta United FC twice from the bench but did not play as Atlanta United FC won the 2018 MLS Cup.[8]

The next season, Bello made his international club debut for Atlanta United FC in the CONCACAF Champions League against Herediano on 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 the USL Championship and none with Atlanta United FC during the 2019 season.[11]

Arminia Bielefeld

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On January 31, 2022, Bello joined German Bundesliga side Arminia Bielefeld on a four-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[12][13]

LASK

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On July 14, 2023, Bello signed a contract as a free agent for Austrian Bundesliga side LASK until 2026.[14]

International career

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Bello has represented the United States at both the under-15 and under-17 level. 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 the FIFA U-17 World Cup.[16]

In January 2021, Bello was called into the United States national team for their friendly against Trinidad 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 coach Gregg Berhalter into the 23-man squad for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[19] He started in two matches for the United States as they made it into the final against Mexico. 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

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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 were Neymar and Lionel Messi but he also was interested in the left back position and watched videos of David Alaba and Marcelo.[15]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played November 23, 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 14 0 3 1 4[f] 0 0 0 21 1
Total 38 0 6 1 10 0 0 0 54 1
Career total 140 4 8 1 16 0 3 0 167 5
  1. ^ Includes DFB-Pokal and Austrian Cup
  2. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
  3. ^ Includes two appearances in MLS is Back Tournament group stage
  4. ^ Appearance in MLS Cup Playoffs
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

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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

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Atlanta United

United States

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. October 31, 2019. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e Patrick, Joe (August 10, 2018). "George Bello: Atlanta United's 16-year-old wonderkid on the brink of a breakthrough". Dirty South Soccer. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "George Bello named US Soccer Development Academy Player of the Year". Dirty South Soccer. July 14, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2002.
  4. ^ Rodriguez, Alicia (June 17, 2017). "Atlanta United FC sign three Homegrown players for 2018 season". Major League Soccer. Retrieved February 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. Retrieved February 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. Retrieved February 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". www.arminia.de. January 31, 2022.
  14. ^ "LASK SIGNS US INTERNATIONAL GEORGE BELLO". US Soccer. July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Sciaretta, Brian (August 15, 2018). "U.S U-17 standout George Bello eyeing a breakthrough with Atlanta". American Soccer Now. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  16. ^ "HEAD COACH RAPHAEL WICKY NAMES USA ROSTER FOR 2019 FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL". US Soccer. October 10, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  17. ^ Usry, Rob. "Miles Robinson, George Bello named to USMNT senior roster for friendly". Dirty South Soccer. Retrieved September 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. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  20. ^ "United States 1–0 Mexico". Soccerway.
  21. ^ a b "George Bello". US Soccer.
  22. ^ a b George Bello at 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. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  25. ^ "2021 MLS All-Star Team Roster". MLSsoccer.
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