Whenever George Bello returns home to Douglasville from his home in Austria, where he plays for LASK, his first stop will be at Chick-fil-A. His breakfast order: the Chick-n-Minis, hash browns and orange juice.
The Minis will have to wait.
Bello, a starting left back, is trying to help LASK win the Austrian Cup and avoid relegation to the second division. It would be the first trophy for the club, formally known as Linzer Athletik-Sport-Klub, since 1964-65. LASK will play Altach in the relegation playoffs March 28, followed by Wolfsberg in the semifinals of the Austrian Cup on April 2.
Bello is an important part of both attempts. He has 22 appearances with a goal in league matches, and four appearances and a goal in Cup matches. He also made two appearances in the Europa League.
“I’ve been able to stay healthy,” he said Thursday in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ve felt like I’ve been able to get a consistent run of games, which I haven’t had in the past, and it’s been good. I’m still very disappointed with where we ended in normal season, coming in seventh and having to play in the qualification (relegation) group.”
Bello should be very familiar to soccer supporters in Atlanta. He was an Atlanta United Homegrown signee who became its starting left back. He was the first player to go from the academy to first-team starter in the franchise’s history. He made 53 appearances, scored three goals with four assists and played well enough to be called into the U.S. men’s national team.
That success earned a $2 million transfer in 2022 to Arminia Bielefeld, which was then in Germany’s Bundesliga. It provided proof of concept for Atlanta United’s academy, something Bello said he’s proud of.
“I hope it can be an example to everyone that’s still in the Atlanta United Academy, and that I can be an example as to see that the steps they can reach to reach their goals, and it’s possible,” he said.
Bello’s dream of playing for a club in Europe soured quickly.
Bello worked his way into the starting lineup at Bielefeld, making 35 appearances, as injuries and a rollover of manager after manager as the club unsuccessfully fought against consecutive relegations reduced his playing time.
Bello said he relied on his family and friends as he wondered what was next for his career. His contract reportedly included a clause he could pursue other opportunities if Bielefeld were relegated to the third division.
“Just knowing that the good will come and that I had to really know that no person’s professional life is perfect, and there’s going to be dips, there’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows, and it’s how you deal with that,” he said. “It made no sense for me just to beat myself up and say, ‘Why is this happening to me? Why am I not playing? Why are we in this position that we are?’ It’s better to look at the bright side of things and just keep on knowing that good things will come.”
Bello joined LASK as a free agent in July 2023 on three-year contract. He has made 67 appearances with two goals and four assists.
Bello said he has matured as a player since he left Atlanta United. His one-on-one defending, positioning and decision-making have improved.
Bello said his new teammates embraced him and he has embraced the culture. He said he’s trying to learn the language but said his Southern accent doesn’t mesh well with a German-Austrian accent. He said he can instinctively say a few German words, but joked they shouldn’t be repeated.
What’s next isn’t yet on Bello’s radar. He said he is focused on helping LASK win that elusive trophy.
Bello has played well enough that he was being projected as a call-up into the U.S. men’s national team for this week’s matches. It didn’t happen. Bello said he has yet to speak to US. coach Mauricio Pochettino but playing for the U.S. in the 2026 World Cup remains his goal. He likes the culture that Pochettino is creating.
“I just know I was still have a lot to work to do, there’s still time to show what I can do, just have to keep my head down, be humble and just pray for good things to come,” he said.
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