Princeton Rebello Explained

Princeton Rebello
Birth Date:5 March 1999
Birth Place:Betalbatim, Goa, India
Height:1.73 m
Currentclub:Punjab
Position:Attacking midfielder, central midfielder
Youthclubs1:Velsao Pale Sports Club
Youthclubs2:Betalbatim Sports Club
Youthyears3:2014
Youthclubs3:Queens Park Rangers
Youthyears4:2015–2016
Youthclubs4:Betalbatim Sports Club
Youthyears5:2016
Youthclubs5:AIFF Elite Academy
Youthyears6:2016–2017
Youthclubs6:Sporting Goa
Youthyears7:2016
Youthclubs7:Vasco
Youthyears8:2017
Youthclubs8:→ Penha de Franca (loan)
Years1:2017–2023
Clubs1:Goa
Caps1:45
Goals1:0
Years2:2017–2018
Clubs2:Indian Arrows (loan)
Caps2:4
Goals2:0
Years3:2023–2024
Clubs3:Odisha
Caps3:20
Goals3:1
Years4:2024–
Clubs4:Punjab
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:India U20
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:2
Club-Update:16:30, 28 April 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:6 January 2020

Princeton Rebello (born 5 March 1999) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Indian Super League club Punjab.

Career

Early career

Born in Betalbatim, Goa, Rebello started playing football at the age of four and would constantly play alongside the kids in his neighborhood.[1] While playing in an under-8 football tournament, Eban Mesquita, a coach for Betalbatim based Velsao Pale Sports Club, scouted Rebello and got him to join Velsao Pale.[1] A few years ago, after impressing enough during an under-13 tournament to be named the Emerging Player of the Tournament, Rebello was reportedly told by then Dempo head coach Armando Colaco that he would like to take Rebello to the club eventually as a senior player, but after playing with Betalbatim Sports Club.[1]

In July 2014, Rebello moved out of India to England and joined the under-15 side for Queens Park Rangers.[1] He stayed at the English football academy for six months before returning to India to rejoin Batalbatim. He would soon join the AIFF Elite Academy before moving back to England.[1] Since he was only able to secure a six-month permit, Queens Park Rangers sent him on trial with Watford. Watford offered him a chance in their academy but it would have required Rebello to concede his Indian citizenship for Portuguese. Rebello rejected the move to change his nationality and moved back to India.[2] [1]

In mid-2016, Rebello re-joined his former head coach, Eban Mesquita, at Goa Professional League side Vasco. During his time with Vasco, Rebello recorded six assists and three goals.[1] He was soon also selected to join Goa's football team for the Santosh Trophy but was not selected in the end for unknown reasons.[1] After spending some time with Vasco, Rebello moved to Sporting Goa, where he would be part of the team's youth squad.[1]

Indian Arrows

In January 2018, Rebello joined Indian Arrows, the All India Football Federation's developmental squad, in the I-League on loan from Goa.[3] He made his professional debut for the club on 8 January 2018 against Shillong Lajong. He came on as a 46th minute substitute for Abhijit Sarkar as Indian Arrows lost 1–0.[4]

Goa

In April 2017, Goa of the Indian Super League announced that they would be opening a developmental squad and that Rebello was one of the members of the squad.[5] On 23 October 2019, Rebello made his Goa debut, coming on in the 87th minute as Goa beat Chennaiyin 3–0 in the Indian Super League.

International

Rebello participated with the India U19 side during the 2017 SAFF U-18 Championship.[6] In India's first match of the tournament, Rebello scored from a 30-yard freekick but it wasn't enough to prevent India from getting a defeat, 4–3.[6] A couple months later, in November 2017, Rebello was called-up again for India's 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers.[7]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goa2018–19Indian Super League000000
2019–20800080
2020–2116000160
Indian Arrows (loan)2017–18I-League400040
Career total2800000280

Honours

FC Goa

2019[8]

Odisha

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Pinto, Basil. With an eye on India jersey, Princeton turns a Gaur. 23 January 2018. The Goan. 26 April 2017. 23 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190522/http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=32311. dead. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Meet Princeton Rebello, who rejected Watford FC to keep his dream of playing for India alive. 24 August 2021. Sportskeeda. 24 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210824040158/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/meet-princeton-rebello-who-rejected-watford-fc-to-keep-his-dream-of-playing-for-india-alive. live.
  3. News: Goan FC down Panjim Footballers. Herald Goa. 11 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180111110300/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Sports/Goan-FC-down-Panjim-Footballers/125222.html. 11 January 2018. dead. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: Shillong Lajong 1-0 Indian Arrows. Soccerway. 23 January 2018. 23 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190854/https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2018/01/08/india/i-league/lajong-sc/aiff-xi/2684001/. live.
  5. News: FC Goa show intent with capture of Derrick, Liston. TNN. 7 May 2019. The Times of India. 24 April 2017. 1 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181101150210/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/fc-goa-show-intent-with-capture-of-derrick-liston/articleshow/58332472.cms. live.
  6. News: Bangladesh 4-3 India - Young Blues succumb to second half comeback by Bengal Tigers. Nisanth V Easwar. 7 May 2019. Goal.com. 18 September 2017. 7 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507230226/https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/saff-u-18-championship-2017-bangladesh-4-3-india-young-blues/ym2zb97sxjk51qoxljyjsohfd. live.
  7. News: Peter, Ashish. AFC U-19 Championships Qualifiers: India Squad, Schedule, Venue And More. 7 May 2019. Goal.com. 3 November 2017. 7 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507230224/https://www.goal.com/en-kw/news/afc-u-19-championships-qualifiers-india-squad-schedule-venue-and-/16beebk9z1c7q1xi1kqzl1zb84. live.
  8. News: FC Goa's long wait for a trophy ends. 14 April 2019. The Hindu. Amitabha Das Sharma. 7 May 2019. 2 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210702104059/https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/fc-goas-long-wait-for-a-trophy-ends/article26832013.ece. live.
  9. Web site: FC Goa clinch maiden Durand Cup trophy after beating Mohammedan Sporting 1-0 in final. ESPN. 4 October 2021. 4 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211004020737/https://www.espn.in/football/fc-goa/story/4490517/fc-goa-clinch-maiden-durand-cup-trophy-after-beating-mohammedan-sporting-1-0-in-final. live.