Lewis Ferguson

Lewis Ferguson's journey from Scottish youth football to captaining an Italian Serie A club is a remarkable tale of talent and tenacity. As an attacking midfielder, he has not only broken records but also led his team to historic victories, becoming a crucial figure for both Bologna and the Scotland national team. Join us as we trace the ascent of this compelling footballer, whose drive has taken him to the very heart of European football. Lewis Ferguson successfully transitioned from a promising Scottish youth player to a key captain and record-breaking Scottish goalscorer in Italy's top league, Serie A. Despite a significant knee injury, Ferguson's resilience and talent led him to earn individual accolades like Serie A Midfielder of the Year, making a strong comeback. He not only emulated a Scottish legend by winning the Coppa Italia with Bologna but also carries on a rich family footballing legacy, fueling his inspiring career arc.

Source: Wikipedia

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Lewis Ferguson's journey from Scottish youth football to captaining an Italian Serie A club is a remarkable tale of talent and tenacity. As an attacking midfielder, he has not only broken records but also led his team to historic victories, becoming a crucial figure for both Bologna and the Scotland national team. Join us as we trace the ascent of this compelling footballer, whose drive has taken him to the very heart of European football.

From Hamilton to the World Stage

Born on August 24, 1999, in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Lewis Ferguson's football journey began steeped in tradition. He came through the youth systems of two significant Scottish clubs, first Rangers and then Hamilton Academical.

Breaking into Senior Football

Ferguson made his senior debut for Hamilton Academical in January 2018. He quickly established himself as a regular in the first team during the latter half of the 2017–18 season, stepping into a crucial midfield role.

His impressive performances caught the eye of other clubs, and with his contract nearing its end, Ferguson signed a pre-contract agreement with Aberdeen in May 2018. This move marked a significant step up in his burgeoning career.

Making Waves at Aberdeen

Ferguson's competitive debut for Aberdeen in July 2018 was unforgettable. In a Europa League qualifier against Burnley, he scored his first senior goal—a stunning overhead kick—announcing his arrival on a European stage.

His knack for crucial goals became evident that season. He scored the only goal in a Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers, sending Aberdeen to the final, and added several last-minute league winners, including another spectacular overhead kick.

Ferguson's impact was quickly recognized, leading him to extend his contract with Aberdeen until 2024. His consistent performances earned him a nomination for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award in 2019, cementing his status as one of Scotland's brightest talents.

During the 2020–21 season, Ferguson truly shone, becoming Aberdeen's top scorer with 10 goals in 41 appearances. This prolific form attracted attention from clubs across Europe, and he submitted a transfer request, signaling his ambition for a new challenge.

The Italian Adventure: Bologna

On July 12, 2022, Lewis Ferguson took a bold leap, signing with Italian Serie A club Bologna for an undisclosed fee. This move represented a significant cultural and footballing shift, as he ventured into one of Europe's most tactically demanding leagues.

He made his Serie A debut as a substitute against AC Milan and swiftly adapted, earning his first start a few weeks later. His first goal came against Lecce, followed by a crucial equalizer against Monza, showcasing his immediate impact.

November 2022 saw Ferguson score a memorable curling effort against Sassuolo, a goal so impressive it was named the Serie A Goal of the Month. This marked him as a player with not just grit, but also moments of pure brilliance.

His debut season in Italy was historic for a Scot. With seven goals, Ferguson became the highest-scoring Scottish player in an Italian league season since the legendary Denis Law played for Torino in 1961–62—a remarkable achievement in itself.

Captaincy, Injury, and Resilience

Ferguson's stellar play was rewarded in July 2023 with a new contract, extending his stay at Bologna until 2027. By October 2023, his leadership qualities were recognized, and he was named captain of the club—a rare honor for a foreign player in Serie A.

However, his journey took an unexpected turn in April 2024 when he suffered a severe knee injury, requiring surgery. This devastating setback put his participation in Euro 2024 with Scotland in serious doubt, testing his resolve.

Despite the injury, Ferguson continued to break records. In December 2023, he surpassed Denis Law to become the top Scottish goalscorer in Serie A history, a testament to his consistent impact. Later, he was fittingly named the Serie A Midfielder of the Year for the 2023–24 season.

His recovery was a testament to his determination. Returning to the pitch in November 2024, earlier than expected, Ferguson credited his speedy return to the 'Scottish mentality.' He soon made his UEFA Champions League debut, completing a full 90 minutes for the first time in over seven months.

Leading Bologna to Glory

As captain, Ferguson led Bologna to their first final in 51 years, guiding them past Empoli to reach the Coppa Italia final. This was a monumental achievement for the club and a testament to his influence on the team.

On May 14, 2025, Ferguson captained Bologna to a historic 1–0 victory over AC Milan in the Coppa Italia final. In doing so, he emulated the legendary Graeme Souness, becoming only the second Scotsman ever to lift the coveted Coppa Italia trophy.

Representing Scotland

Ferguson proudly represented Scotland at various youth levels, playing for the under-19, under-20, and under-21 national teams. These early international experiences honed his skills and prepared him for the senior stage.

His strong club form earned him his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in August 2021. He made his debut a month later against Denmark, coming on as a substitute, marking a significant milestone in his international career.

Missing Euro 2024 due to injury was undoubtedly a bitter blow, but Ferguson remained optimistic. He expressed confidence that his 'time would come' with the national team, a promise he began to fulfill upon his return.

In October 2025, Ferguson scored his first goal for the senior national team, securing a crucial second goal in a 3–1 win against Greece during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. This pivotal strike underscored his growing importance to the squad.

A Family Affair

Football runs deep in the Ferguson family. Lewis is the son of Derek Ferguson and the nephew of Barry Ferguson, both esteemed former professional footballers who played for clubs like Rangers and the Scotland national team. His cousin, Kyle Ferguson, is also a professional footballer.

Beyond the pitch, Lewis is a devoted family man. He and his partner welcomed their first daughter in November 2022, followed by a second daughter in 2025. This personal joy complements his flourishing professional career.

Accolades and Honours

Coppa Italia: 2024–25 SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2019–20 Serie A Goal of the Month: November 2022 Premio Bulgarelli Number 8 (Serie A Midfielder of the Year): 2023–24

Article

Lewis Ferguson

Lewis Ferguson (born 24 August 1999) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie A club Bologna, whom he captains, and the Scotland national team.

After playing youth football for Rangers and Hamilton Academical, Ferguson made his senior debut for the latter club in the 2017–18 season. After four seasons with Aberdeen he moved to Italian club Bologna in 2022.

A Scotland youth international, Ferguson made his senior debut in 2021.

Early life

Lewis Ferguson

Lewis Ferguson was born on 24 August 1999 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

Club career

Hamilton Academical

Ferguson is a graduate of the Hamilton Academical youth system after earlier being part of the setup at Rangers. He made his senior debut for Hamilton on 20 January 2018, and became a regular in the team in the latter part of the 2017–18 season, replacing Greg Docherty who had moved to Rangers.

With his contract due to expire at the end of that season, Ferguson signed a pre-contract agreement with Aberdeen in May 2018. He was one of seven first-team players who left Hamilton at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Aberdeen

Ferguson made his competitive debut for Aberdeen on 26 July 2018, in the first leg of a Europa League tie against Burnley at Pittodrie Stadium. He scored his first senior goal in the second leg at Turf Moor – a "stunning overhead kick" – although Burnley eventually won the tie on aggregate after extra time. On 28 October, he helped Aberdeen to reach the 2018 Scottish League Cup Final by scoring the only goal of the semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park. By the end of the calendar year, he had also scored three league goals, all in the closing minutes of each fixture, with two of them (a free kick against Kilmarnock and another overhead kick against Livingston) winning the matches for his team.

In February 2019, Ferguson extended his contract with Aberdeen, keeping him at the club until 2024. In April, he played at Hampden Park again, but this time was sent off for a dangerous challenge as Aberdeen lost to Celtic in the semi-final of the 2018–19 Scottish Cup. In May 2019, he was nominated for the season's PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year; the award was won by Ryan Kent.

Ferguson was the club's top scorer during the 2020–21 season, with 10 goals in 41 appearances. Aberdeen rejected an offer from Watford for Ferguson in May 2021, after which he submitted a written transfer request.

Bologna

On 12 July 2022, Italian club Bologna announced the signing of Ferguson for an undisclosed transfer fee. He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 away defeat to Milan on 27 August 2022, and made two more substitute appearances before his first start against Napoli on 16 October. His first goal came a week later, the second in a 2–0 win at home to Lecce, and he scored again the following week – the equaliser in a 2–1 away win over Monza. On 12 November 2022, he scored Bologna's third goal in a 3–0 win over Sassuolo, a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area after a one-two with Nicolás Domínguez that was later named the Serie A goal of the month for November 2022. Ferguson started 28 games for Bologna during the 2022–23 season as they finished ninth in Serie A. He scored seven goals during the season, which was the highest tally by a Scottish player in an Italian league season since Denis Law played for Torino in 1961–62.

In July 2023, Ferguson signed a new contract with Bologna that is due to run until the end of the 2026–27 season. In October 2023 he became Bologna's captain, and he continued in that role, until suffering a knee injury in April 2024. He later said it would be six or seven months before he could re-start training.

Ferguson became the top Scottish goalscorer in Serie A history on 23 December 2023, overtaking Denis Law, when he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Atalanta. He was named the Serie A midfielder of the year for the 2023–24 season.

On 29 October 2024, Ferguson was named in a matchday squad for the first time in over six months, remaining on the bench as Bologna beat Cagliari 2–0. He said that "the Scottish mentality" helped him recover from his injury quicker than expected. He made his return to the pitch in Bologna's 1–0 win over Lecce on 2 November, coming on as an 82-minute substitute for Remo Freuler. Later that month, he extended his Bologna contract until 2028 and made his UEFA Champions League debut against Lille, in which he played a full 90 minutes for the first time in over seven months.

Ferguson captained Bologna to their first final in 51 years, beating Empoli 2–1 (5–1 on aggregate), on 30 April 2025 to reach the Coppa Italia final. Ferguson was captain again winning the final 1–0 versus Milan on 14 May 2025. Ferguson emulated Graeme Souness to become the second Scotsman to win the Coppa Italia.

International career

Lewis Ferguson

Ferguson was called up by the Scotland under-19 team in August 2017, and he went on to make appearances at the under-19, under-20 and Scotland under-21 levels. Ferguson received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in August 2021 for games against Denmark, Moldova and Austria. He made his debut against Denmark on 1 September 2021 in a 2–0 away loss, coming on for Billy Gilmour in added time.

He suffered a knee injury in April 2024 which required surgery and put his participation at Euro 2024 into doubt. After missing the tournament due to injury, he said his "time would come" with the national team. He was recalled by the national team in March 2025.

In October 2025 Ferguson scored his first goal in a full international, the second goal in a 3–1 win against Greece during 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Personal life

Lewis Ferguson

Lewis is the son of Derek Ferguson and nephew of Barry Ferguson, both former professional footballers with clubs including Rangers, and the Scotland national team. His cousin Kyle Ferguson is also a footballer (they were teammates as children in the Rangers academy).

He and his partner welcomed their first child, a daughter, in November 2022. Another daughter was born in 2025.

Career statistics

Club

<table><thead><tr><th>Club</th><th>Season</th><th>League</th><th>National cup</th><th>League cup</th><th>Europe</th><th>Other</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Division</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td></tr><tr><td>Hamilton Academical U20s</td><td>2016–17</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2017–18</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Hamilton Academical</td><td>2017–18</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>13</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>14</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Aberdeen</td><td>2018–19</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>33</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>44</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>2019–20</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>28</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>39</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>2020–21</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>35</td><td>9</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>41</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Scottish Premiership</td><td>36</td><td>11</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>—</td><td>45</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>132</td><td>27</td><td>15</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>17</td><td>7</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>169</td><td>37</td></tr><tr><td>Bologna</td><td>2022–23</td><td>Serie A</td><td>32</td><td>7</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>33</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Serie A</td><td>31</td><td>6</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>33</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25</td><td>Serie A</td><td>16</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>24</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2025–26</td><td>Serie A</td><td>20</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>12</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>36</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>99</td><td>15</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>17</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>126</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>Career total</td><td>244</td><td>42</td><td>24</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>34</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>311</td><td>52</td></tr></tbody></table>

International

<table><thead><tr><th>National team</th><th>Year</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Scotland</td><td>2021</td><td>2</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>3</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>5</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>2</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>9</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>2</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>23</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ferguson goal.

<table><thead><tr><th>No.</th><th>Date</th><th>Venue</th><th>Opponent</th><th>Score</th><th>Result</th><th>Competition</th><th>Ref</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>9 October 2025</td><td>Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland</td><td> Greece</td><td>2–1</td><td>3–1</td><td>2026 FIFA World Cup qualification</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Honours

Lewis Ferguson

• Coppa Italia: 2024–25

• SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2019–20 • Serie A Goal of the Month: November 2022 • Premio Bulgarelli Number 8: 2023–24