The i2i International Soccer Academy has made an exciting new signing after bringing former professional footballer Bryan Hughes into the fold.

Bryan (pictured above with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand) played in the highest tier of English football for more than a decade – with the likes of Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic and Hull City.

During his long career in the English Premier League, he played against many of the world’s greats from Ronaldo, David Beckham and Thierry Henry to Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale and Steven Gerrard.

As well as being the first player to score a goal in the new millennium, Bryan can also lay claim to winning a trophy at Wembley and to scoring a winning League Cup penalty for Charlton against Chelsea in one of Jose Mourinho's very few defeats at Stamford Bridge.

He joins the i2i International Soccer Academy as Head of Coaching, where his role is to oversee the pro-level coaching programme, whilst mentoring the students and sharing his unique experiences as a professional player.

Bryan said: “I was fortunate enough to spend many happy years playing soccer in the English Premier League. The days of me scoring goals against the likes of Chelsea may be over, but these days I love nothing more than passing on my experiences to young players and inspiring them to realise that anything is possible with hard work and determination.

“I am delighted to be joining the i2i International Soccer Academy. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m very much looking forward to getting hands-on with the next generation of talented youngsters.

“Nowadays a lot of coaches learn through books, but hopefully I can bring my own personal experiences as a player, coach and manager onto the training field.

“It’s a fantastic set up and having been in the professional game for 20 years, my first thought was: ‘This is a very professional outfit’.

“To be able to offer an academic pathway alongside a full time coaching programme is a fantastic concept. It’s very important for aspiring footballers to continue their education, as it enables them to go on to explore a wide range of career opportunities. The i2i International Soccer Academy is the perfect solution to this.”

i2i’s soccer student athletes balance a full-time pro-level coaching programme with studying for an internationally recognised degree in either International Business Management or Sports Science at York St John University. 

Head of the i2i International Soccer Academy Andy Milne said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have Bryan Hughes on board with us. Having played nearly 500 games in his long career, Bryan brings with him a wealth of experience, which will be invaluable to our students at the i2i International Soccer Academy.”

Bryan officially takes up his new role in mid October. If you have any questions about the i2i International Soccer Academy, please email info@i2isocceracademy.com