‘I found the joy in soccer again’
Moving overseas from his home in Italy proved beneficial for Giorgio Probo
HALIFAX - It took Giorgio Probo to leave soccer-mad Italy to reignite his passion for the sport.
“Soccer is king, by far, in Europe,” said the 24-yearold Probo, a midfielder from Bergamo, Italy, who recently signed his first Canadian Premier League contract with the Halifax Wanderers following two stellar NCAA seasons at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. “But I first came to school in America because I didn’t enjoy playing soccer anymore in Italy. I thought I’ll go to school, play with their team and see what happens. Once I arrived in America, my love for the game came back again.
“I honestly found football more interesting in America than in Italy. The passion they show, the effort they put into it, the money they put in it and just how they help the young guys to develop was much better. I found the joy in life more than soccer.
“Soccer was always a part of my life so when I found joy in my life, I found the joy in soccer again.”
FROM ITALY TO U.S. MIDWEST
Each day living in the scenic northern Italian city surrounded by its impressive Venetian walls began and ended with soccer for Probo.
He moved into the youth clubs of Italian Serie A side Atalanta, eventually playing for their under-17 side. In 2016, he joined nearby club Virtus Bergamo, appearing in 65 matches for the first team. He moved to Borgosesia Calcio three years later before making his life-altering decision to move to the U.S.
From the mountainous terrain of Bergamo, Probo arrived in the flat plains and cornfields of the U.S. Midwest during the height of COVID.
“It was definitely different,” Probo recalled. “The culture is very different. But in college you are in a bubble, everything is perfect, everybody is willing to help you.
Probo started in junior college at Iowa Western Community College and immediately established himself as a top player. Probo led Iowa Western to the 2021 national championship and was named the tournament MVP. He was selected junior college player of the year in 2021.
COLLEGIATE STAR AT CREIGHTON
Following his run in junior college, he transferred to Creighton, a NCAA Division I school, and moved to Nebraska.
In his first season at Creighton, Probo scored five goals and collected 14 assists, second-most in the country. Playing alongside future Wanderers midfielder Callum Watson, Probo helped the Bluejays advance to the semifinals of the 2022 NCAA national championship tournament.
Last season, with Watson graduated and playing pro in Halifax, Probo stepped up and added another eight assists during the 2023 campaign. He was named the Big East conference midfielder of the year.
Despite two stellar Division 1 seasons, Probo was passed over in Major League Soccer's Superdraft despite being arguably the top collegiate midfielder available.
Looking for another pro avenue, his former Creighton teammate persuaded him to head north ... and east.
“Callum told me the fans here in Halifax are different,” Probo said of Watson, who hails from Chelmsford, England. “He told me it’s a great place for me, knowing me as a person that I would fit perfectly in the community.”
That conversation happened before Christmas. In January, the Wanderers agreed to transfer Watson to Chattanooga FC of MLS Next Pro, a third-tier league affiliated with the MLS.
Even without Waston returning for another season in the CPL, Probo decided to make the move to Halifax. He officially inked a two-year contract with the Wanderers last month.
“Callum knew he was going to leave and move up,” said Probo, who arrived in Nova Scotia on Feb. 22. “But he told me that I should still go there, even if he wasn’t there. I was prepared to do that.
“He told me great things about Halifax. I was looking for the same situation that I had in college, so Halifax was a perfect fit. It feels like it’s a small place that can help me to settle in my life. I think it’s the right place for me to start my professional life.
“Although I haven’t visited nothing, just been from my house to the training centre, training centre to my house, I feel very welcomed by the city, especially on the social media part. A lot of fans have texted me. Hopefully I will see the city in the next couple of weeks.”
BIG ADJUSTMENTS
Originating from a culinary paradise, Probo hasn’t experienced delicacies of Halifax. But he’s eager to try a donair.
“I haven’t tried the food in Halifax, but everyone says it’s delicious,” Probo said. “In America, the food is not great. It was a big difference for me.
“But the biggest difference is not having the family close by. It’s the worst part of being away.”
Probo comes from a close family. His brother is at home with his parents and Probo’s sister, her boyfriend and their new-born baby live next door to the family home. He’s hoping they make a trip to Halifax this summer.
“I just want to see them again,” Probo said. In the meantime, Probo joins a star-studded midfield which features former Paris Saintgerman product Lorenzo Callegari, who led the CPL in passes (2,046) last season, Aidan Daniels, Jeremy Gagnon-lapare and captain Andre Rampersad.
Under the tutelage of first-year head coach Patrice Gheisar, the Wanderers finished in a tie for second place (11-8-9) in 2023, their most successful season since the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, and reached the CPL playoffs for just the second time in club history. They lost 1-0 to Pacific FC in their quarter-final match Oct. 14 at the Wanderers Grounds.