Top facts about Aaron Hughes, the Irish legendary defender

Aaron Hughes was mostly a central defender, but he would also cover right back, left back, and everywhere on the midfield. He is known for his professional shielding, having made 455

contributions without receiving a red card, second only to Ryan Giggs in the history of the league. Aaron Hughes’ age is 42 years.

Hughes began his career with Newcastle United, where he started his career in 1997 and went on to play 279 matches in all tournaments for the team. He stayed with the squad until 2005, when he was sold to

for £1 million, and two years later, he was recruited to play for

by his retired professional boss, Lawrie Sanchez.

He played for Fulham for six and a half years, entering the UEFA Europa League finale in 2010. He enjoyed short spells in the Championships with Rangers and

after quitting the team in January 2014, as well as overseas with Melbourne City FC and Kerala Blasters FC.

Hughes marked his full international start in 1998 at the age of 18 and has 103 appearances for Northern Ireland, second only to goalkeeper Pat Jennings in the country's history.

He commanded the national team from 2003 until his resignation from international duty in 2011, but he returned the following year and was named to the roster for the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament.

Facts about Aaron Hughes:

Last October, Hughes and 29 other football players began the two-year UEFA Executive Master for International Players (UEFA MIP). It is divided into seven week-long workshops, each of which focuses on a particular area of football governance and policy.

Hughes is interested in the role of technical director, as football managers seek help in their difficult careers. "Apart from coaching, it's another factor of clubs that's getting more important," he said.

Aaron Hughes early life

Aaron Hughes was born on November 8, 1979 and his birthplace is Northern Ireland.

Aaron Hughes parents

are Evelyn and Ronnie Hughes.

Aaron grew up with his family in Cookstown, Northern Ireland. He was interested in soccer since he was a child and joined

at an early age.

Aaron Hughes childhood

was mostly spent on the football pitch.

Aaron Hughes personal life

Hughes is married to Samantha and has two daughters with her. Ian, his younger brother, is a professional field hockey star. Hughes was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for contributions to sport in the 2020 New Year Honors.

Aaron Hughes children

were all born in Northern Ireland.

It was appropriate for Hughes, who had gained the credibility of being a gentleman and an example to any aspiring player in the country for how he handled himself on and off the field by the time he was 38 years old.

An important fact about

Aaron Hughes personal life

is that he led the clean life of a professional athlete, devoted to his fitness and the fuel that fueled his body. "I never ever saw Aaron eat or drink anything other than what would be healthy for him," according to one former teammate. There were no cheat days for him.

Aaron Hughes professional career

Hughes may have been quickly caught up in the world of the major names in the team and the Premier League atmosphere at Newcastle United as he made his international and domestic debuts as a young 18-year-old.

Instead, he remained committed ambitious, and very unique, constantly trying to maximize his abilities while being unobtrusive.

It's no surprise that Sir Bobby Robson chose to send Hughes his Magpies debut against

at the mighty Camp Nou, and that Lawrie McMenemy tossed him in against

in 1998.

A

fact about Aaron Hughes

 professional career is that his position alongside his defensive teammates undeniably strengthened their results. This is something that Stephen Craigan can testify to. Centre backs are always noisy and violent, but Hughes' action had a cool assuredness to it in even the most trying of situations.

The immense confidence he had in the jersey and armband he worn with distinction in victories over

, Spain, Sweden, and

between 2005 and 2008 was echoed by his monumental performances. With authority, courage, and the highest decorum, he led his men in those sports.

Aaron Hughes club career

Aaron Hughes had commanded Northern Ireland to fantastic Windsor Park victories over England, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark, and he marked his comeback in the team at right-back for the spectacular Euro 2016 triumph against

.

Hughes spent six months with Kerala Blasters of the Indian Super League after leaving Melbourne after Euro 2016. He retired from football at the conclusion of the 2018-19 campaign, having played his last league game in Scotland after a two-and-a-half season in Heart of Midlothian.

Newcastle United

Hughes, who was raised in Cookstown, County Tyrone, rose via the Newcastle United hierarchy. On November 26, 1997, he earned his first team appearance in a UEFA Champions League game between Newcastle and Barcelona at the Camp Nou, replacing Philippe Albert at half-time in a 1–0 loss.

Hughes said of his debut in the Nou Camp's amazing surroundings, "It's been so long and I don't remember that much of it. It's good to have on your resume, and it's nice when people say things like, 'Oh, you made your debut at the Nou Camp.'

The truth was a little unique at the moment because the venue was half-empty. Barcelona's supporters had boycotted the game as a form of protest after the team failed to advance from the group stages.”

“The world wasn't quite as beautiful as the setting, but it was my debut. It could have happened anywhere, and it would have been an unforgettable experience. At the moment, I was very pleased with myself.”

His flexibility was noticeable early on, which enabled him to play well as a full-back in the league cup against the experienced England international Steve McManaman from Liverpool despite his obvious preference for the central defender position. He gradually worked his way into the first team with self-confident and mature-looking performances after he had started the 1998/99 season initially in the reserve team and the U-19 selection.

On 10 January 1998, he made his division start versus Sheffield Wednesday, appearing in the whole 2–1 loss at Hillsborough. Hughes was not named in Newcastle's rosters for their FA Cup Final losses in 1998 and 1999, despite appearing in the earlier stages, such as the semi-final versus

at Old Trafford in the latter season as a 36th-minute substitute for the hurt Steve Howey.

In the 1999–00 season, he made his mark on the squad under Ruud Gullit and later Bobby Robson. Hughes netted his first goal for the team on September 19, 1999, heading Kieran Dyer's delivery past Kevin Pressman to open an 8–0 triumph against

at St. James' Park, and added his second goal of the campaign six months later, dispossessing David Weir from six yards out and scoring past Paul Gerrard to open a 2–0 success against

.

A notable

fact about Aaron Hughes

 Newcastle United career is that prior to the 2001–02 term, Hughes played in the UEFA Intertoto Cup final, which Newcastle won that summer.

In the 83rd minute of the first phase of the semi-final against 1860 Munich at the Olympiastadion, he tapped in Wayne Quinn's ball to win the match 3–2. He netted a last-minute leveler for a 4–4 tie versus Troyes in the second leg of the final on August 21, but his team lost on the away goals rule. He announced a 4–2 FA Cup fourth-round victory at Peterborough United on January 27, 2002, by heading in another Quinn cross.

He was perhaps best known as a player for his versatility to play everywhere in the back four throughout his time at Newcastle. He also could play as a defensive midfielder, as he did so beautifully against

as he brilliantly marshalled the excellent Francesco Totti.

He was an excellent reader of the game and could play on both feet. He was a fantastic footballer who was let go way too quickly by the club.

Aston Villa

He was transferred to another Premier League club Aston Villa for £1 million on a three-year deal on May 20, 2005. On August 13, he earned his debut in a 2–2 draw at Villa Park versus

, with all four goals coming in the first nine minutes.

He recorded 64 contributions for his team in all tournaments throughout his time in the West Midlands.

Fulham

Aaron was confirmed as a fresh recruit for Premier League side Fulham on June 27, 2007. In the departure of Brian McBride and, later, Danny Murphy, he assumed the captaincy.

According to reports, he said, "I'm excited to enter Fulham and look ahead to collaborating with Lawrie Sanchez on a league stage. I loved my time at Aston Villa, but when this possibility arose, I jumped at the chance to meet with the boss and learn more about his plans for the club, which were clearly of great concern to me.

I'm pleased to have agreed before the start of pre-season, as it allows me to join the fellas on day one when we return to training next week."

A fact about Aaron Hughes’ career is that he agreed a new contract with the team on December 4, 2009, which would keep him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2013. On December 26, 2010, he netted his first score for Fulham, sending in a Simon Davies cross to open a 1–3 loss to West Ham United at Craven Cottage.

On August 18, 2011, he scored his second goal in the Europa League versus Dnipro, which was set up by Matthew Briggs for the first goal in a 3–0 win. Hughes reached a one-year contract agreement with Fulham on September 14, 2012, extending his stay at the club until 2014.

On January 26, 2013, he netted his third goal for Fulham in his third separate tournament, heading Giorgos Karagounis' cross at the end of a 4–1 loss at Old Trafford to

in the fourth round at FA Cup.

Queens Park Rangers

Hughes entered

of the Championship on a free move on January 31, 2014, after making 17 starts for Fulham earlier in the term Hughes was signed to a short-term contract before the end of the season by manager Harry Redknapp, who said he would be valuable in a defense that was suffering from injury, although the player himself denied that he was taking a move back in his career.

Hughes had been a goal for Redknapp before he joined Newcastle. He came off the bench the next day in a 3-3 draw with Burnley, and made his debut on February 10th in a 1-0 loss to Derby.

Hughes was an ineffective replacement in the play-off match at Wembley on May 24, as QPR beat Derby County 1–0 to secure elevation to the Premier League. He was one of seven players released by QPR after their contracts expired on July 1, 2014.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Hughes signed a one-year deal with Brighton & Hove Albion on 14 July, being Sami Hyypiä's first contract at the club, after his departure from QPR. He made his first appearance on August 9 in a 0–1 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at the Falmer Stadium to start the season.

An important fact about Aaron Hughes’ Brighton career is that he only appeared in 13 games in all tournaments, and he didn't play again until January 2015. Hughes and fellow countryman Paddy McCourt were set to be released at the end of the season on April 27, before it had even started.

Melbourne City

Hughes agreed a one-year deal with

of the Australian Football League on July 13, 2015. Damien Duff, a previous Fulham colleague, was associated with convincing him to take that step. Hughes made his first appearance in a match-day squad on November 5, when he came on as an unused replacement in a 4–2 victory over

.

A

fact about Aaron Hughes

 club career is that eight days later, he made his debut in a 0–3 home defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, replacing Jack Clisby at halftime. Hughes celebrated his first goal in Australia on January 2, 2016, when he headed in Harry Novillo's corner kick to secure a 2–2 home tie versus Sydney FC. On April 28, 2016, Melbourne City released Hughes.

Kerala Blasters

Hughes was named as the flagship player for the Kerala Blasters of the Indian Super League for the 2016 campaign on July 28, 2016. He made his first appearance on October 1st, playing the entire 90 minutes in a 1–0 defeat to Northeast United FC, and netted his first goal on November 25th, the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over FC Pune City at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Hughes aided the Kochi-based squad to the finals, which they lost to Atlético de Kolkata on penalties at home.

Heart of Midlothian

Hughes agreed a deal with Heart of Midlothian in the Scotland Premiere league on January 9, 2017, for the remainder of the campaign He made an appearance 13 days later, in a Scottish Cup fourth stage game against Raith Rovers, in which BBC Sport described him as having "the calm of a Northern Ireland knight amid his advanced years."

Hughes agreed a one-year deal with Hearts on 5 May 2017, after being sidelined for two months due to injuries. Hughes, who was 39 at the time, retired from football in June 2019.

Aaron Hughes international career

Hughes marked his Northern Ireland start versus Slovakia on March 25, 1998. On April 17, 2002, he commanded his country for the first time in Belfast, versus Spain. From 2003 to 2011, he was the main captain, guiding the squad to noteworthy victories over England, Spain, and Sweden.

Due to Hughes' injury, Chris Baird, a Fulham colleague, was appointed captain of Northern Ireland for Nigel Worthington's first games in charge. Hughes netted his sole international goal against the Faroe Islands on 10 August 2011, thirteen and a half years and 77 appearances since his start, in a 4–0 victory in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying at Windsor Park.

A fact about Aaron Hughes’ international career is that in September 2011, he confirmed his withdrawal from international soccer due to an illness, he was unable to appear in the last Euro 2012 qualification games, so he withdrew with 79 appearances.

Hughes declared his comeback to international football on February 19, 2012, and ten days later featured in Michael O'Neill's first contest as boss, a 3–0 friendly loss to Norway at home.

Hughes won his 96th cap on May 31, 2015, when he captained Northern Ireland to a 1–1 friendly draw with

at Gresty Road in Crewe, exceeding fellow countryman David Healy to become Northern Ireland's highest recorded outfield player and second overall to goalkeeper Pat Jennings.

When Hughes came on as a 30th-minute replacement for the hurt Craig Cathcart in a scoreless friendly abroad to Slovakia on 4 June, he became the first Northern Irish outfielder person to achieve 100 caps. At the age of 36, he marked his competition debut in Lyon, marking Yevhen Konoplyanka in a 2–0 victory over Ukraine.

Hughes' formal departure was revealed to his international team-mates in the Borisov Arena following Northern Ireland's dramatic 1-0 victory over

, and tributes poured in from clubs, fellow players, and supporters.

Aaron Hughes stats

Hughes handled himself admirably as a teenager, and that was the culmination of a stunning love affair with Newcastle. He was a stalwart in the center of the defense for a Newcastle side that went on to glory under Sir Bobby Robson, making 275 appearances in seven years in the North East.

After two years and 64 games with Aston Villa, he went on to play for Fulham for seven years and 249 games. Hughes aided the Cottagers to their finest results in the new period when at Craven Cottage.

In the 2008-09 Premier League season, he was a key member of Roy Hodgson's side, which finished seventh. Hughes then aided Fulham on their fairytale European journey, with the club only being refused the UEFA Cup in the Hamburg final by an impressive Atletico Madrid side.

Hughes joined Queens Park Rangers from Fulham in January 2014. After helping the R's to promotion through the Championship tournaments at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, he was cut from Loftus Road and found himself without a club for the first time in his career.

A notable fact about Aaron Hughes’ stat is that he was a brilliant servant for his country Northern Ireland, in addition to his club accomplishments. He made his debut in 1998 and went on to captain the side from 2003 until his retirement in 2011 with 79 caps.

 Michael O'Neill urged him to come out of international retirement, and he went on to play 112 times in total, including at Euro 2016. He scored one goal in his international journey with Northern Ireland.

Aaron Hughes social media

Regarding

Aaron Hughes social media

, it should be mentioned that he has a private Instagram page (

) with 2500 followers.

He also has a Twitter account (

) with 26.1K followers. He rarely posts new stuff on his Twitter page.

Aaron Hughes body measurements

About

Aaron Hughes body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the former British defender is 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) and weighs 171 lbs (78 kg).

Aaron Hughes net worth and salary

Aaron Hughes' net worth is projected to be in the range of $1 million to $5 million dollars. A fact about

Aaron Hughes net worth

and salary is that from his main occupation as a soccer player, he has amassed a substantial fortune.

Speaking about Aaron Hughes net worth and salary, it is estimated that he earns 100-150K dollars every year. Since it's impossible to predict buying patterns over time, net worth figures vary.

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