Princeton Rebello
Princeton Rebello (born 5 March 1999) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Odisha in the Indian Super League.

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. 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. 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.

In July 2014, Rebello moved out of India to England and joined the under-15 side for Queens Park Rangers. 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. 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.

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. 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. After spending some time with Vasco, Rebello moved to Sporting Goa, where he would be part of the team's youth squad.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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. A couple months later, in November 2017, Rebello was called-up again for India's 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers.

Career statistics

Honours
FC Goa
Indian Super Cup: 2019
 Goa Professional League: 2018–19
 Durand Cup: 2021

Odisha FC 

 Super Cup: 2023

See also
 List of Indian football players in foreign leagues

References

External links

Princeton Rebello at indiansuperleague.com
Princeton Rebello at the-aiff.com

1999 births
Living people
People from South Goa district
Indian men's footballers
Indian expatriate men's footballers
Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
AIFF Elite Academy players
Vasco SC players
Sporting Clube de Goa players
FC Goa players
Indian Arrows players
Men's association football midfielders
Footballers from Goa
Goa Professional League players
I-League players
India men's youth international footballers
Indian expatriate sportspeople in England