Cole Dasilva

Cole Perry Dasilva (born 11 May 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a full back for club Bedford Town.

Dasilva is a product of the Chelsea and Luton Town academies and began his professional career with Brentford in 2018. Following his release in 2020 and spell with Leicester City U23, Dasilva transferred to Croatian club HNK Šibenik in 2021. He returned to England in 2022 and entered non-League football. Born in England, Dasilva was capped by England and Wales at youth international level.

Chelsea
Initially a left winger, Dasilva began his career at hometown club Luton Celtic, playing alongside his brothers Rio and Jay under his father's management. The brothers later entered the youth system at Luton Town and were a part of the U11 team which beat a Bayern Munich youth team in the 2009 Final of the five-a-side Aarau Masters. The brothers transferred to the Chelsea academy for a combined £1 million fee in January 2012. Dasilva began a scholarship in 2015 and progressed to sign a professional contract in June 2016, signing a one-year extension a year later. He had a successful youth career with the club, developing into a full back and winning the 2015–16 U18 Premier League and the 2015–16 FA Youth Cup. He also made three appearances in Chelsea's 2017–18 UEFA Youth League-winning campaign and made two EFL Trophy appearances for the U23 team. Dasilva was released at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Brentford
On 7 August 2018, Dasilva joined the B team at Championship club Brentford on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee, with the option of a further year. He made 41 appearances and scored seven goals during the 2018–19 season and was a part of the team which won the 2018–19 Middlesex Senior Cup. During the 2019–20 pre-season, Dasilva was included in the first team squad for its training camp in Austria, but was largely frozen out of the B team during the regular season and was released when his contract expired in June 2020.

HNK Šibenik
After playing the final three months of the 2020–21 season with Leicester City U23 as a free agent, Dasilva signed a contract with Croatian First League club HNK Šibenik on 27 June 2021. On 6 September, it was reported that Dasilva had finally been registered to play for the club and he made six appearances prior to the winter break, predominantly as a substitute. Dasilva failed to win a call into a matchday squad after the winter break and departed the club in March 2022.

Non-League football
On 8 March 2022, Dasilva signed an undisclosed-length contract with National League South club Oxford City. During what remained of the 2021–22 season, Dasilva made 8 appearances and was a part of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup-winning squad, but he did not feature in the Hoops' unsuccessful playoff campaign. Dasilva signed a contract with National League South club Hemel Hempstead Town in July 2022, but after making six appearances during the first seven weeks of the 2022–23 season, he was released to join Southern League Premier Division Central club Royston Town in September 2022. Dasilva finished a mid-table 2022–23 season with 39 appearances and one goal.

In August 2023, Dasilva dropped a division to transfer to Biggleswade Town. He made 25 appearances and scored two goals, prior to transferring across the Southern League First Division Central to Bedford Town on 5 March 2024. He made 6 appearances during the remainder of the 2023–24 season and was an unused substitute during the team's successful playoff campaign.

International career
Dasilva was capped by Wales at U15, U16, U17, U19, U20 and U21 level and England at U16 level. He was a part of Wales' 2014–15 Victory Shield-winning team, but was not included in the squad for the deciding match versus Northern Ireland. Dasilva made a single appearance during the U20 team's 2017 Toulon Tournament campaign.

Personal life
Dasilva is one of three footballing brothers – he is twin to Rio and younger brother to Jay. He is of Wales and Brazilian descent.

Honours
Brentford B
 * Middlesex Senior Cup: 2018–19

Oxford City
 * Oxfordshire Senior Cup: 2021–22

Bedford Town
 * Southern League First Division Central play-offs: 2024

Wales U16
 * Victory Shield: 2014–15