The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lesson learned, Bello vows to stay healthy
Teen returns from groin injury to contribute as left fullback, wingback.
BRADENTON, FLA. — George Bello learned a tough lesson last year, one that may help him throughout his professional soccer career. Take care of your body. Bello, then just 17, was supposed to compete to be Atlanta United’s starting left back in 2019.
He started the team’s first game in the Champions League at Herediano in Costa Rica in a sign of his immense potential and the coaching staff ’s trust. He played despite feeling symptoms that something may not have been as it should with his right adductor (groin). He started another game six days later with Atlanta United 2 in its opener on March 10.
In training sessions in days after the game, he slipped, and the right adductor tore. The doctors discovered that his left adductor was also about to tear. Both sides were repaired. Bello went through rehab and spent the rest of the season with Atlanta United 2 in the USL. His final stats: one appearance with Atlanta United and 12 with Atlanta United 2.
“I tried to stay mentally tough as much as possible because that’s as much as you can do in that situation,” he said.
He learned to take stretching seriously before and after games, as well as ice baths and recovery boots.
“The simple things do matter,” he said.
Bello, now 18, is back in competition as a left fullback and wingback with Atlanta United.
Manager Frank de Boer said he expects Bello to earn 15-20 starts this season across competitions.
“I have big expectations for myself,” Bello, a Douglasville resident, said. “I want to be a very big part of this team this season to prove myself. Hopefully, win more titles. Get as many minutes as I can and perform at a high level.”
Bello will be competing with 33-year-old veteran Edgar Castillo, who said one of the reasons he was brought to Atlanta United was to help Bello, and Jake Mulraney, recently acquired from Hearts in Scotland. Bello said he can tell he and Castillo are going to be close friends.
“That’s why he (Carlos Bocanegra) brought me in,” Castillo said. “I know he will get some playing time. I’m here to do my things and help him as a player to learn.”
Bello brings speed and technical ability that belie his age. In Wednesday’s scrimmage against Philadelphia at IMG Academy, both were on display in the minutes after he came on as a sub to start the second half.
First he made a recovery tackle of an Union player. Then he found space behind Philadelphia’s defense, received a pass from Ezequiel Barco and scored. Bello was ruled offside, but the potential still stands.
He said de Boer and the assistants have been working with him on playing simply and how to take the ball in movement, instead of standing still, so he can beat pressure.
It’s another lesson in Bello’s development.
“Keep going day by day, practice by practice, game by game and keep taking care of my body, and everything will perform for itself, and I feel I will be a major part of this team this season,” he said.
Atlanta United will play Swedish side IF Elfsborg at 5 p.m. Saturday.
The lineup is likely to be similar to the one used against Philadelphia. The only exceptions may be Bello starting at wingback and Jeff Larentowicz at defensive midfielder.
Most of Wednesday’s starters went about 70 minutes. They are likely to do the same Saturday.
‘Keep going day by day, practice by practice, game by game and keep taking care of my body, and everything will perform for itself, and I feel I will be a major part of this team this season.’
George Bello on his development