Lino Sousa
{{Short description|English football player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Portuguese name|da Cruz|Sousa}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lino Sousa
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Lino Gonçalo da Cruz Sousa
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|1|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal
| height = 1.85 m{{WorldFootball.net}}
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = Bristol Rovers
(on loan from Aston Villa)
| clubnumber = 3
| youthyears1 = 2016–2022
| youthclubs1 = West Bromwich Albion
| youthyears2 = 2022−2024
| youthclubs2 = Arsenal
| years1 = 2024–
| clubs1 = Aston Villa
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2024
| clubs2 = → Plymouth Argyle (loan)
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2024–
| clubs3 = → Bristol Rovers (loan)
| caps3 = 10
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019−2020
| nationalteam1 = England U15
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2021
| nationalteam2 = England U16
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2022
| nationalteam3 = England U17
| nationalcaps3 = 2
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2022−2023
| nationalteam4 = England U18
| nationalcaps4 = 8
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears5 = 2023−
| nationalteam5 = England U19
| nationalcaps5 = 10
| nationalgoals5 = 0
| club-update = 11:32, 7 January 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 20:48, 24 March 2024 (UTC)
}}
Lino Gonçalo da Cruz Sousa{{Cite web |title=Premier League clubs publish 2023/24 retained lists |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/4030168 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.premierleague.com |language=en}} (born 19 January 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for {{English football updater|BristolR}} side Bristol Rovers, on loan from {{English football updater|AstonVil}} club Aston Villa. Born in Portugal, he is a youth international for England.
Early life
Born in Portugal, when Sousa was eight-years-old he moved with his family from Lisbon to Wolverhampton. Sousa played for Aspire FC before joining the academy at West Bromwich Albion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-transfer-lino-sousa-decision-24220558|title=Lino Sousa in line to be given chance after Arsenal make transfer decision on left-back|website=Football.London|date=17 June 2022 }}
He attended Sandwell Academy from ages 11–16.
Career
= Early career =
Lino Sousa played regularly for the West Bromwich Albion team that reached the semi-finals of the 2021 FA Youth Cup despite only being 16-years-old himself at the time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-lino-sousa-transfer-brom-22912560|title=Arsenal told what to expect after completing exciting West Brom transfer|website=Birminghammail.co.uk|date=28 January 2022 }}
= Arsenal =
Sousa joined Arsenal from West Brom in January 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/arsenal/transfer-talk/news/arsenal-snap-up-highly-rated-youngster-lino-sousa-from-west-brom_476568.html|title=Arsenal snap up highly-rated youngster Lino Sousa from West Bromwich Albion|website=Sportsmole.co.uk}} There was discussions at Arsenal in the summer of 2022 to fast-track Lino Sousa into first team training.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/06/13/arsenal-lino-sousa/%3F|title= ARSENAL STAFF ARE RAVING ABOUT 'HUGELY TALENTED' TEENAGER, COULD NOW BE FAST-TRACKED|website=HITC.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/kieran-tierney-injury-arsenal-signed-23612253|title=Mikel Arteta has already signed Kieran Tierney replacement at Arsenal after injury setback|website=Football.London.com|date=6 April 2022 }} Sousa's quick development was reported to be part of the reason Arsenal allowed Joel Lopez's return to his native Spain in the summer of 2022, despite Lopez being a regular for the under-23 side and contributing two goals and five assists from left back.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportbible.com/afcstuff/joel-lopez-arsenal-replacement-lino-sousa-20220612.amp.html|title=Lino Sousa Tipped To Replace Departing Joel Lopez|website=Sportbible.com}}
Sousa was taken on the first team pre-season training camp to Germany in the summer of 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/07/05/journalist-mikel-arteta-has-taken-17-year-old-arsenal-talent-to-germany-for-pre-season/%3F|title=MIKEL ARTETA HAS TAKEN 17-YEAR-OLD ARSENAL TALENT TO GERMANY FOR PRE-SEASON|website=HITC}} In September 2022, he was confirmed as being included in the Arsenal first team training and their travelling party as they prepared for the away UEFA Europa League match against FC Zurich.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theathletic.com/3572936/2022/09/07/lino-sousa-arsenal-first-team/%3F|title=Lino Sousa to travel with Arsenal first team ahead of Europa League opener|website=The Athletic}} He made his first Premier League match day squad on 18 September 2022 against Brentford and was then named among the match-day substitutes for Arsenal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metro.co.uk/2022/09/18/ethan-nwaneri-15-named-in-arsenal-squad-to-face-brentford-17397974|title= 15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri included in Arsenal squad to face Brentford|website=metro.co.uk|date= 18 September 2022}}
= Aston Villa =
On 1 February 2024, Sousa signed for Premier League club Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, immediately joining Championship side Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/february/01/sousa-joins-villa-academy/|title=Sousa joins Aston Villa|website=www.avfc.co.uk|date=1 February 2024|accessdate=1 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/argyle-sign-lino-sousa|title=Argyle Sign Lino Sousa|website=www.pafc.co.uk|date=1 February 2024|accessdate=1 February 2024}} On 3 February, Sousa made his Football League debut as a late substitute in a 1–0 victory over Swansea City.{{Cite news |date=3 February 2024 |title=Whittaker gives Plymouth first away win at Swansea |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68114775 |access-date=2024-02-05 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
On 14 August 2024, Sousa joined League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the 2024–25 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/lino-sousa-joins-bristol-rovers-loan|title=Lino Sousa joins Bristol Rovers on loan|website=www.bristolrovers.co.uk|date=14 August 2024|accessdate=14 August 2024}} Having initially struggled for game time over the first few months of the season, the appointment of Iñigo Calderón as new head coach in December 2024 saw Sousa break into the starting eleven on a more consistent basis. {{cite web|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lino-sousa-bristol-rovers-loanee-9984526|title=Lino Sousa: Bristol Rovers loanee on trusting the process, Calderon impact and debt to Gasheads|publisher=Bristol Post|last=Hargraves|first=Daniel|date=28 February 2025|accessdate=1 March 2025}}
International career
Sousa has played for England at age group level but is also still eligible to represent Portugal, the country of his birth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/lino-sousa-joins-arsenal-academy|title=Lino Sousa joins the Arsenal Academy|website=Arsenal.com}} In September 2022 he was called up to the England national under-18 football team for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://dailycannon.com/2022/09/arsenal-england-youth-call-ups/|title=5 Arsenal youngsters receive England call-ups|website=Daily Cannon}}
On 22 March 2023, Sousa made his England U18 debut during a 2–1 win over Croatia in Medulin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/Mar/22/england-mens-under-18-croatia-match-report-20230322|title=Report: Croatia 1-2 England MU18s|first=Leanne|last=Hides|date=22 March 2023}} On 10 April 2023, Sousa was called up for Portugal U18 team.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-13 |title=Lino Sousa: "venho aqui para mostrar o meu futebol" |url=https://www.fpf.pt/pt/News/Todas-as-notícias/Notícia/news/39472 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=FPF |language=pt-PT}}
On 6 September 2023, Sousa made his England U19 debut during a 1–0 defeat to Germany in Oliva.{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/Sep/06/england-mens-under-19s-germany-report-20230906|title=Report: England MU19s 0-1 Germany|date=6 September 2023|website=England Football}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 4 January 2025}}{{Cite web|title=England - L. Sousa - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/lino-sousa/669546|access-date=2024-08-18|website=uk.soccerway.com}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Arsenal
| rowspan="2" |Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|Appearances in EFL Trophy|name=EFT}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023–24
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFT}} | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| colspan="2" |Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| rowspan="3" |Aston Villa
| rowspan="2" |Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="2" |Total
!0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 | ||||||||||||
| Plymouth Argyle (loan)
|8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Bristol Rovers (loan)
|10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|name=EFT}} | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 1 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Arsenal U21
- FA Youth Cup runner-up: 2022–23{{Cite web |date=25 April 2023 |title=Hammers beat Arsenal 5–1 in the 2022–23 FA Youth Cup final at Emirates Stadium |url=https://www.thefa.com/news/2023/apr/25/fa-youth-cup-final-2022-23-arsenal-west-ham-united-20230425 |access-date=15 October 2023 |publisher=The Football Association}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.avfc.co.uk/players/linosousa/ Lino Sousa] at Aston Villa F.C.
- {{Premier League player|98315}}
- {{Soccerway|669546}}
{{Bristol Rovers F.C. squad}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sousa, Lino}}
Category:Footballers from Lisbon
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Portuguese men's footballers
Category:Portuguese emigrants to England
Category:English people of Angolan descent
Category:Sportspeople of Angolan descent
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:Portuguese sportspeople of Angolan descent
Category:Black Portuguese sportspeople
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Aston Villa F.C. players
Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:English Football League players