Richard Hughes

Early career

Born in Scotland, Hughes grew up in Italy and began his career as a youth player at Serie A side Atalanta. After moving back to the United Kingdom, Hughes spent five years with Arsenal as a youth player. He did not make the transition to the first team and so left the club to join AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 1998. Hughes made his debut for Bournemouth in a 2–0 victory over Lincoln City, and became a regular member of the first team. He was signed by Portsmouth for £50,000 in summer 2002.

Portsmouth

After making his debut for Portsmouth in a 1–1 draw at Sheffield United, Hughes was loaned out to Grimsby Town, where he played 12 games and scored one goal against Brighton. He was given a Premier League appearance in December 2003, and he remained a squad member for the remainder of the 2003–04 campaign. He scored the winning goal, his first for Portsmouth, in a 1–0 FA Cup victory over Liverpool on 22 February 2004. On 28 July 2006 he pledged his future to the club, signing a three-year contract. On 15 August 2007, playing against Manchester United, Hughes was headbutted by Cristiano Ronaldo, after Hughes allegedly provoked him. Ronaldo was red-carded for his actions. The game finished 1–1. Hughes was part of Portsmouth's 2007–08 FA Cup-winning team. Despite not making the squad for the final he appeared in the earlier rounds. In January 2009, Hughes was offered an extension to his Portsmouth contract. His second competitive goal for…

Following his retirement from the game, Hughes later joined Bournemouth's recruitment team under Eddie Howe and was promoted to Technical Director during the club's stay in the Premier League. On 5 March 2024, AFC Bournemouth announced Hughes would leave the club at the end of the 2023–24 season. On 20 March, Liverpool announced that Hughes would become their sporting director on 1 June. He left the role in September 2026, having overseen Liverpool's 2024–25 Premier League triumph, to take up the same role at Al-Hilal.

Hughes' father worked for Penguin Books in Italy and the family lived in Milan although his mother moved back to Glasgow for a month to give birth. Attending a British school in the city, Hughes spoke English in the home and school and Italian when out with friends. Initially playing football for local boys teams he was invited to sign for AC Milan at the age of ten. However, he turned them down, later saying it was because at the time he was very shy. A year later Hughes was picked up by the Atalanta youth system and spent seven years with the club, before moving to Arsenal in late 1993. Hughes revealed he planned on life after retirement, working for BT Sport as a pundit and running a restaurant with his brother called Mele e Pere and based in Brewer Street, Soho, London.

Portsmouth

FA Cup runner-up: 2009–10