Joe Bell (footballer, born 1999)

Joe Zen Robert Bell (born 27 April 1999) is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eliteserien club Viking FK and the New Zealand national team.

Joe Bell
Personal information
Full name Joe Zen Robert Bell[1]
Date of birth (1999-04-27) 27 April 1999
Place of birth Bristol, England
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Viking
Number 8
Youth career
–2012 Ferrymead Bays
2013 Nomads United
2014 Miramar Rangers
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Virginia Cavaliers 55 (6)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Wellington Phoenix Reserves 34 (0)
2018 Charlottesville Alliance 3 (1)
2020– Viking 29 (2)
National team‡
2015 New Zealand U-17 3 (0)
2016– New Zealand U-20 15 (3)
2019– New Zealand 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 December 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 November 2019

Club career

Wellington Phoenix Reserves

Bell moved to Wellington to join the Wellington Phoenix Academy where he started playing for the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in the New Zealand Football Championship for the 2014-2015 season, playing 12 games with 4 starts.[2] He played for the reserves for another two seasons, appearing 14 times in the 2015-2016 season with 10 starts and 8 times with 6 starts in the 2016-2017 season.[2] With the New Zealand football championship played over the summer, Bell played for Wellington United in the Central League during the winter.[3]

Virginia Cavaliers

Bell joined the Virginia Cavaliers who play in the NCAA Division I in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Bell started 55 straight games since joining the University.[4] He scored six goals and had ten assists across three seasons, while also spending time with amateur club Charlottesville Alliance during the 2018 NPSL season.[5][6]

Following his successful FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign, Bell drew the interest of several European sides, trialing with Eliteserien side Viking and eventually being offered a contract. However, with the University of Virginia offering him a full scholarship at year's end, Bell decided to delay going professional to get his degree.[7][8]

Bell had a successful 2019 season with the Cavaliers as co-captain of the team which won the ACC Coastal Division and won the ACC Men's Tournament for the first time since 2009. The team ended the season winning 21 games, which was one shy of a school record.[9] The Cavaliers entered the 2019 NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed. After wins over Campbell, St. John's, SMU and Wake Forest, Virginia lost in the final to Georgetown finishing runner up for the second time in school history.[10] Bell ended the season playing 21 games of which he started all 21 of them, only missing two games during the ACC tournament while on International duty. He scored 7 goals, of which 4 came during the NCAA tournament, as well as had 4 assists.[11]

Bell also won a number of awards both on the field and academic, including United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year, First Team Scholar All-American,[12] ACC First Team and ACC Midfielder of the Year[13] He was also one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy for best player in the country.[14]

Viking

On 10 January 2020, Bell signed a three-year contract with Viking in the Norwegian Eliteserien.[15][16]

International career

U-17

Bell was selected for the New Zealand U-17 team that played in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.[17] He played in two of the group games, a 0–0 draw with Syria[18] and a 2–1 win over Paraguay.[19] As well as there loss to Brazil in the Round of 16 with a stoppage-time penalty seeing them eliminated from the competition.[20]

U-20

Bell has played for and captained the New Zealand U-20 team. Playing in the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship where he was the tournament MVP and they qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. He has also played and captained the team at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.[2]

National team

Bell made his national team debut for New Zealand in a friendly against Ireland, starting in their 1–3 loss.[21]

Honours

Club

International

Individual

Personal life

Bell was born in Bristol, England but holds dual citizenship. He was raised in Wanaka[7] before moving up to Wellington to attend Scots College[23] and play for the Phoenix.[5]

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. "Joe Bell Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  3. "Wellington Phoenix Academy Players Shine In Capital Premier". Wellington Phoenix FC. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  4. "Bell Called into New Zealand Full National Team for International Friendlies". Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  5. "Joe Bell Profile". Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  6. https://www.c-ville.com/semi-pro-soccer/
  7. Rollo, Phillip (17 June 2019). "Norwegian club Viking FK makes play for New Zealand under-20 captain Joe Bell". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  8. "New Zealand under-20 captain Joe Bell turns down Viking FK's offer". Stuff.co.nz. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  9. "Curtain Falls on Extraordinary Season". University of Virginia Athletics. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  10. Goff, Steven (15 December 2019). "College Cup soccer: Georgetown outlasts Virginia in penalty kicks to win its first NCAA title". washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  11. "Joe Bell - Men's Soccer". University of Virginia Athletics. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  12. "Bell Named United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year". University of Virginia Athletics. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  13. "Bell Collects Scholar All-Region Honors". University of Virginia Athletics. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  14. "Bell Named a Finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy". University of Virginia Athletics. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  15. "All Whites midfielder Joe Bell to join Norwegian club Viking FK". Stuff (website). 8 January 2020.
  16. "Her er Vikings nysignering Joe Bell på plass". www.aftenbladet.no (in Norwegian). Stavanger Aftenblad. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  17. "FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  18. "New Zealand, Syria left to settle for point". FIFA. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  19. "New Zealand leave it late against ten-man Paraguay". FIFA. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  20. "Brazil edge past resolute New Zealand". FIFA. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  21. Voerman, Andrew. "Callum McCowatt scores on debut as new-look All Whites lose to Republic of Ireland". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  22. "Sport: NZ defend OFC U19 title". 20 August 2018.
  23. "Player Testimonials". Scots College. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
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