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{{Short description|Indian footballer}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=April 2018}}
{{Fanpov|date=July 2021}}
}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Franko Paul
| fullname = Franko Paul<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i-league.org/match-details/?mid=4115|title=Match report: ARA vs Hindustan|access-date=16 January 2019|website=i-league.org|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009035810/https://i-league.org/match-details/?mid=4115}}</ref>
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|11|29}}
| birth_place = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
| height = {{height|m=1.80|precision=0}}
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = [[Midfielder#Winger|Winger]]
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = [[Garhwal F.C.]]
| years1 = 2016–2017
| clubs1 = [[Sudeva Moonlight F.C.]]
| caps1 = 5
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2017–2018
| clubs2 = [[Churchill Brothers S.C.]]
| caps2 = 5
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018–2019
| clubs3 = [[Churchill Brothers S.C.]]
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2019
| clubs4 = [[Hindustan F.C.]]
| caps4 = 6
| goals4 = 3
}}

'''Franko Paul''' (born 29 November 1995) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a [[Midfielder#Winger|winger]].<ref>{{soccerway|franko-paul/524732}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/churchill-brothers-sc-promise-to-draw-the-red-line-this-i-league/|title=Churchill Brothers SC promise to draw the red line this I-League|website=navhindtimes.in|date=28 November 2017|accessdate=29 November 2017|archive-date=28 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128211527/http://www.navhindtimes.in/churchill-brothers-sc-promise-to-draw-the-red-line-this-i-league/|url-status=live}}</ref> Franko is an alumnus of [[St.Columba's School, New Delhi|St.Columba's School]], [[New Delhi]].

== Early life ==
Franko had an indisputable love for football since his early childhood days. He went to St. Columba's School in [[New Delhi]], and would spend his afternoons after school kicking the ball and practicing free kicks. Slowly, he began to develop a deep love for the game, and would keep playing till it was dark. At the age of 8, he started playing for his school team in the junior competitions.

Franko represented his school at zonal level, and further at Inter-zonal level, even winning the competition. At the age of 16, Franko was selected to represent Delhi in the [[Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance|Bajaj Allianz]] Junior Camp (All India), 2012, held at Pune, and bagged the ‘Best Player’ award, despite his team finishing third in the competition.

Later that year, Franko joined [[Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools|Baichung Bhutia Football Schools]] (BBFS) in Delhi, at the age of 17. In 2013, BBFS took part in the Delhi Youth League (U-19) where Franko was awarded the ‘Best Player'.

In 2015, Paul moved to Germany and trained with DFI Bad Aibling e.V., a developmental team of the [[Under 19 Bundesliga|U19 Regionalliga West]] until 2016.<ref>[https://www.arunfoot.com/video-life-young-indian-footballer-dfi-germany/ VIDEO: Life of young Indian Footballer at DFI – Germany!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720160457/https://www.arunfoot.com/video-life-young-indian-footballer-dfi-germany/ |date=2021-07-20 }} ''Arunfoot.com''. Retrieved 20 July 2021</ref>

== Personal life ==
Franko grew up idolizing former [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] forward [[Cristiano Ronaldo]], and based his gameplay skills on him, although as he grew older, he began to add his uniqueness to the game, picking pointers from several other players like [[Kaká|Kaka]] and [[Ronaldinho]]. Franko is a lifelong supporter of [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].

==Career==
===Earlier career===
Paul moved to Germany in early age age began his youth career with [[Under 19 Bundesliga|U19 Regionalliga West]] side DFI Bad Aibling e.V. in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://everythingforfootball.com/player/franko-paul/|title=Player Information - Transfer History: Franco Paul|website=soccer.everythingforfootball.com|publisher=Everything For Football|access-date=25 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427153358/https://everythingforfootball.com/player/franko-paul/|archive-date=27 April 2022}}</ref> He came back to India in 2016 and plied his trade with Delhi-based club [[Sudeva Delhi FC|Sudeva Moonlight]].

===Churchill Brothers===
In January 2017, Franko joined the new side [[Churchill Brothers]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/field/866044/i-league-dawda-ceesay-israil-gurung-strikes-help-churchill-brothers-overcome-indian-arrows|title=I-League: Dawda Ceesay, Israil Gurung strikes help Churchill Brothers overcome Indian Arrows|author=Scroll Staff|website=Scroll.in|access-date=5 December 2021|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205135343/https://scroll.in/field/866044/i-league-dawda-ceesay-israil-gurung-strikes-help-churchill-brothers-overcome-indian-arrows|url-status=live}}</ref> and his debut was against [[Shillong Lajong FC]] in December 2017 in the 80th minute replacing [[Israil Gurung]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Ravish|last=R Narvekar|url=https://khelnow.com/news/article/vasco-sports-club-churchill-brothers-gp-report|title=Vasco outclass Churchill Brothers in an entertaining GPL encounter|website=khelnow.com|publisher=Khel Now|date=23 November 2017|access-date=23 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121071552/https://khelnow.com/football/vasco-sports-club-churchill-brothers-gp-report|archive-date=21 January 2022}}</ref> He was given the jersey number 29 by the club. Franko operates as a winger for his club, someone who is equally comfortably on either wing. He has seldom made appearances as a supporting striker, playing off the main striker.

== Style of play ==
A quick, creative, versatile attacker, Franko plays primarily as a Winger, due to his high acceleration, close ball dribbling and wide array of technical skills. He is equally efficient playing on either wing, however, he prefers to play on the left, or as a left inside forward, so that he can drift in and shoot on goal from distance using his stronger foot. He can also be deployed as a supporting striker, and is described by his coaches as someone who loves to bring his teammates into the game. A good passer of the ball, with an elite vision for his teammates, Franko is revered amongst his colleagues as an apt crosser of the ball, with accurate set piece delivery and exceptional free kick ability.

Franko is predominantly right footed, but also possesses the ability to pick a pass, deliver crosses, and finish efficiently using his left foot. Franko is praised by his teammates for being a technical player, who has admirable off the ball movement, which also allows him to get into good attacking positions. He is described by his manager as someone who possesses an explosive burst of pace, highly aware positioning, and clinical finishing skills.

He is notable for his dribbling and flair, displaying a wide array of tricks to beat his marker.

== Honours and achievements ==

=== [[Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance|Bajaj Allianz]] Junior Camp (2012) ===

* Best Player Award

=== Delhi Youth League (U-19) (2013) ===

* Best Player Award

==Career statistics==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Federation Cup
!colspan="2"|Durand Cup
!colspan="2"|AFC
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[Sudeva Moonlight F.C.]]
|[[2014–15 I-League|2016–17]]
|[[I-League]]||5||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[Churchill Brothers S.C.]]
|[[2014–15 I-League|2017–18]]
|[[I-League]]||5||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[Churchill Brothers S.C.]]
|[[2014–15 I-League|2018–19]]
|[[I-League]]||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[Hindustan F.C.]]
|[[2018-19 I-League 2nd Division]]
|[[I-League 2nd Division]]||6||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!16!!5!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Indian football players in foreign leagues]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.the-aiff.com/players/profile/62693?type=club Franko Paul] at ''the-aiff.com''
*[https://www.flashscore.in/player/paul-franko/KEPalugP/ Franko Paul] at ''flashscore.in''
* [http://www.espnfc.com/player/268307/franko-paul Franko Paul] at ''espnfc.com''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Franko}}
[[Category:1995 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian footballers]]
[[Category:I-League players]]
[[Category:Association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Churchill Brothers FC Goa players]]
[[Category:Sudeva Delhi FC players]]
[[Category:Hindustan FC players]]
[[Category:Indian expatriate footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Delhi]]

Franko Paul - Revision history

UpdateBot at 15:44, 27 April 2022