Hugo Cuypers Bio
Hugo Cuypers is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer. Born on 7 February 1997 in Liège, Belgium, Cuypers has built a reputation as a prolific goal-scorer across several European leagues before making the move to North American soccer. Standing at 185 cm, he combines physical presence with a sharp eye for goal, traits that have defined his development from Belgian lower divisions to top-flight competition.
Cuypers first came to prominence during a remarkable spell with the Greek club Ergotelis, where he set scoring records and attracted the attention of major European sides. After stints in Belgium, Greece, and France, he enjoyed his most productive years with KAA Gent, producing back-to-back 30-plus goal campaigns that established him as one of the most consistent strikers in the Belgian top flight.
Early Life and Background
Hugo Cuypers was born on 7 February 1997 in Liège, a city in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium known for its passionate football culture. Growing up in this environment provided him with early exposure to competitive organized soccer, and he joined local youth side Zwaluw Vechmaal as a young boy. He later moved to Excelsior Veldwezelt, a fourth-tier Belgian club, where he continued to hone his skills as a forward.
When Excelsior Veldwezelt went bankrupt in 2012, Cuypers transferred to Visé, another club competing in the Belgian lower divisions. He spent three seasons with Les Oies, developing into a more complete attacker and drawing attention from bigger clubs. In the summer of 2014, after Visé also went bankrupt, Cuypers was picked up by Standard Liège, one of Belgium’s traditional top-tier sides, marking a major step up in his young career.
Path to Soccer
Cuypers’ pathway to professional soccer accelerated rapidly after joining Standard Liège’s youth setup. During his debut season with the club’s U-19 outfit, he scored 31 goals and contributed 13 assists, an exceptional return that immediately caught the attention of several European clubs. He added two more goals with the Standard Liège U-21 team before signing a new two-year contract with the club in June 2015.
His professional debut arrived on 3 April 2016, when he came off the bench as a late substitute for Renaud Emond during a play-off II home match against Waasland-Beveren. Later that year, on 31 October 2016, he was loaned to Seraing of the Belgian First Amateur Division, where he scored six goals across nineteen appearances. He also represented the Belgium U-19 national team during the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification, playing in all three Elite round matches and scoring once against Bulgaria.
Hugo Cuypers Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
Cuypers’ earliest senior appearances came through the Standard Liège system, where his prolific youth scoring earned him a place in the first-team picture. His professional bow against Waasland-Beveren was brief but symbolic, confirming his readiness for top-flight action. The subsequent loan to Seraing in late 2016 provided him with consistent minutes at senior level.
Across nineteen appearances for Seraing, Cuypers found the net six times, a respectable return that helped him develop the physical and tactical demands of regular senior football. These formative years in the Belgian second and third tiers laid the foundation for his transition to a more challenging environment abroad.
Ergotelis Breakthrough (2017–2018)
In the summer of 2017, Cuypers was acquired by Greek Football League side Ergotelis, owned by Egyptian businessman Maged Samy. He signed a two-year contract and quickly established himself as a key figure for the Cretan club. During the 2017–18 season, Cuypers became Ergotelis’ most prolific player, scoring goals on a regular basis and ultimately finding the net against 14 of the 16 opponents the club faced that year.
By match-day 27 he had tallied 20 goals, becoming the first player to score more than 20 goals for Ergotelis in a single season in twelve years. He finished the campaign with 22 goals in 28 appearances, surpassing club legend Patrick Ogunsoto’s 21-goal season performance from 2006 and cementing his place in Ergotelis’ all-time scoring records. His form attracted interest from Greek Superleague clubs, including newly crowned champions AEK Athens, but a potential transfer fell through.
Olympiacos and Ajaccio (2019–2021)
On 18 June 2019, Cuypers signed a three-year contract with Greek giants Olympiacos for an undisclosed fee. He did not feature in a single match during the 2018–19 season at Ergotelis, and the move represented a significant step up. Shortly after arriving, on 17 August 2019, he was sent out on a season-long loan to French Ligue 2 side Ajaccio to gain further experience.
After returning from his loan spell, Cuypers departed Olympiacos in June 2021, with the Greek club receiving a reported €1 million transfer fee from Mechelen while retaining a 50% sell-on clause.
Mechelen and Gent Era (2021–2024)
On 14 June 2021, Cuypers officially signed a four-year contract with Belgian top-flight side Mechelen, where he continued to develop as a reliable forward. The following summer, on 14 June 2022, he signed a four-year deal with KAA Gent, a move that would transform his career trajectory.
At Gent, Cuypers reached his peak form. In 2022 he scored 30 goals in 45 games, and in 2023 he followed up with 32 goals in 44 appearances, entering the top ten of the Belgian top scorers’ list for 2023. His consistency and finishing made him one of the most feared strikers in the Belgian Pro League.
Chicago Fire Era (2024–Present)
On 6 February 2024, Cuypers signed a contract with Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire FC running through 2026, with an option for 2027. The transfer fee was a club record, reflecting the value Chicago placed on his proven goal-scoring pedigree.
In his first season with the Fire, Cuypers finished as the club’s top scorer with 10 goals across 31 matches, an encouraging return that suggested he would be a central figure in the team’s attacking plans going forward.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cuypers’ 22-goal season at Ergotelis in 2017–18 stands as one of the defining achievements of his career, a record-breaking campaign that put him in the club’s all-time scoring history. His back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons at Gent in 2022 and 2023 further cemented his reputation as a consistent finisher at the highest level of Belgian football. The record-breaking transfer to Chicago Fire in February 2024 marked another milestone, signaling his arrival as a marquee signing in MLS.
Hugo Cuypers Career Wins
Hugo Cuypers’ career has been defined by consistent goal-scoring across multiple leagues, rather than trophy-laden silverware. His achievements are best measured in individual milestones, including record-breaking seasons and top-scorer awards at his various clubs.
Gent Highlights
During his time at KAA Gent, Cuypers reached the peak of his scoring powers. He netted 30 goals in 45 matches in 2022, followed by 32 goals in 44 matches in 2023, totals that placed him among the top ten scorers in Belgian top-flight football for 2023. These campaigns remain the most productive of his professional career.
Other Wins & Performances
At Ergotelis, Cuypers scored 22 goals in 28 appearances during the 2017–18 season, breaking a twelve-year club record. Earlier, he scored six goals in nineteen appearances during a loan spell at Seraing, and posted 31 goals and 13 assists in a single season with Standard Liège’s U-19 side. In his debut MLS campaign with Chicago Fire, he registered 10 goals in 31 matches as the team’s leading scorer.
Hugo Cuypers Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Hugo Cuypers’ family background is limited. He was raised in Liège, Belgium, where he first developed his passion for football through local youth clubs before moving into the professional ranks.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Hugo Cuypers will be looking to build on a solid first season with Chicago Fire FC, where he finished as the club’s top scorer with 10 goals in 31 matches. Having adapted to the demands of Major League Soccer, the Belgian forward will be expected to take on a more central role in the Fire’s attacking setup.
The contract he signed in February 2024 runs through 2026, with an option for 2027, giving the club long-term stability around its marquee striker. The 2025 campaign will be an important one for Cuypers as he seeks to translate his prolific Belgian form into consistent MLS output.
With his proven track record of 30-plus goal seasons at Gent and a record-breaking campaign at Ergotelis, Cuypers has the pedigree to become one of the more productive European imports in the league. Chicago Fire supporters will be hoping his 2025 form matches the standards he set in Belgium and Greece.