1. He comes from a footballing family
Evan Ferguson's father Barry started his career with Home Farm in Dublin before crossing the Irish Sea and joining Coventry City in 1999. He appeared for Republic of Ireland alongside Damien Duff and Robbie Keane at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, then returned home in 2002 and captained Longford Town to FAI Cup and FAI League Cup success during a four-year stay during which his son Evan was born in 2004. Capped six times by Republic of Ireland U21s, Ferguson senior played out his career with Dublin-based trio Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Sporting Fingal. Evan's sister Ellie has also played for East Meath United, Shelbourne and captained Republic of Ireland at youth level before pursuing a collegiate career in the United States with Ohio University Bobcats before joining AFC Ann Arbor in Michigan.
2. He started out at a famous schoolboy club
Evan Ferguson was born to parents Barry and Sarah in the seaside village of Bettystown, County Meath, on 19 October 2004. He joined the well-known Dublin schoolboy club St Kevin’s Boys, which had previously produced the likes of future Republic of Ireland internationals Damien Duff, Stephen Carr, Robbie Keane, Robbie Brady, Ian Harte and Jeff Hendrick. From there, he was signed by League of Ireland club Bohemians, and he won the League of Ireland U17 Division title in 2020.
3. He made League of Ireland history
Evan Ferguson made history by becoming the youngest player in League of Ireland history when he appeared for Bohemians in a goalless draw against Derry City in September 2019, aged 14 years and eleven months. Two months earlier, he had impressed in a friendly with Premier League club Chelsea. He was just 15 years and three months old when he scored his first senior goals in a pre-season win over Drogheda United in January 2020.
4. He moved to England at 16
Evan Ferguson joined English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2021, aged 16 years and three months. He was still 16 when he debuted for the Seagulls in an EFL Cup win over Cardiff City in August 2021. Further debuts followed in the FA Cup and Premier League in January and February 2022 against West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.
5. He's the Premier League's youngest Irish goalscorer
Evan Ferguson was aged 18 years and two months when he scored his first Premier League goal for Brighton & Hove Albion against Arsenal on New Year’s Eve 2022, making him the youngest Irish player to score in the Premier League. He ended the 2022/23 season with ten goals in all competitions and by being voted Brighton’s Young Player of the Season.
6. He netted a Premier League hat-trick at 18
Evan Ferguson became the fourth-youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick when he netted a treble for Brighton & Hove Albion against Newcastle United in September 2023, aged 18 years and eleven months, following Liverpool duo Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler and Nottingham Forest’s Chris Bart-Williams.
7. He's scored for his country
Evan Ferguson has been capped by Republic of Ireland at U15, U16, U17, U21 and senior levels. His senior debut came in a friendly against Norway in Dublin in November 2022. Ferguson’s first senior international goal arrived in a friendly win over Latvia, also in Dublin, in March 2023, and he has since scored further goals for his country against Gibraltar and Finland.
8. His talents have been recognised
Evan Ferguson has been voted FAI Young International Player of the Year twice, in 2022 and 2023. The award is presented to the best young Irish male footballer plying his trade outside the Republic of Ireland, and previous winners include former West Ham United players David Connolly, Robbie Keane and Declan Rice.
