Amir Richardson Explained

Amir Richardson
Fullname:Michael Amir Richardson
Birth Date:24 January 2002
Birth Place:Nice, France
Height:1.97m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Fiorentina
Clubnumber:24
Youthyears1:2008–2012
Youthclubs1:AS Fontonne Antibes
Youthyears2:2012–2019
Youthclubs2:Nice
Youthyears3:2019–2021
Youthclubs3:Le Havre
Years1:2021–2023
Clubs1:Le Havre
Caps1:68
Goals1:3
Years2:2023–2024
Clubs2:Reims
Caps2:28
Goals2:3
Years3:2024–
Clubs3:Fiorentina
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Nationalyears1:2021
Nationalteam1:France U20
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2023–
Nationalteam2:Morocco U23
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:2023–
Nationalteam3:Morocco
Nationalcaps3:7
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:23:00, 19 May 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:20:01, 8 August 2024 (UTC)

Michael Amir Junior Richardson (Arabic: مايكل أمير جونيور ريتشاردسون; born 24 January 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Fiorentina and the Morocco national team.[1]

Club career

Le Havre

Richardson came through the ranks of OGC Nice youth system, before joining Le Havre AC.[2]

He made his professional debut for on 15 May 2021, starting the Ligue 2 game against the league champions ESTAC Troyes.[3] On 9 July 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Le Havre.[4] He was named Ligue 2's Pépite du mois ("Nugget of the Month") for December 2021[5] and was considered by many sources to have been one of the revelations of the 2021–22 season.[6] [7] [8] [9]

Reims

On 1 September 2022, he transferred to Reims signing a contract until 2026. He returned to Le Havre on loan for the 2022–23 season[10] where he was part of the team that won the Ligue 2 championship[11] and named in the UNFP Team of the Year.[12]

Richardson made his Ligue 1 debut for Reims in a 2–1 loss to Olympique Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome on 12 August 2023.[13] He scored his first goal in Ligue 1 in a 2–1 loss to Stade Brestois on 17 September 2023.[14]

Fiorentina

On 12 August 2024, Richardson joined Serie A club Fiorentina.[15]

International career

Richardson is the son of the American former basketball player Micheal Ray Richardson and a Moroccan mother, Ilham Ngadi, born in Fez, Morocco.[16] [17] He played for the France U20s in 2021. He was called up to the Morocco U23s in March 2023. Born in France, Richardson is eligible to represent either France, Morocco or the United States at international level.[18]

In June 2023, he was included in the final squad of the Moroccan under-23 national team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted on home soil,[19] [20] where the Atlas Lions won their first title[21] [22] and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[23]

In May 2023, Richardson was approached by the United States Soccer Federation, to see if the player would be willing to change his allegiance to the United States national team. He ultimately turned them down.[24]

In September 2023, Richardson made his senior debut for the Morocco national team, in a 1–0 winning effort against Burkina Faso.[25] Richardson was included in the official Morocco 2023 Africa Cup of Nations squad.[26]

Personal life

He is the son of former NBA player Michael Ray Richardson, who had moved to France to continue his basketball career.

Honours

Le Havre

Morocco U23

2023

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Le Havre profile. live. 2021-05-15. HAC. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120191537/http://www.hac-foot.com/equipe/amir-richardson.html . 20 January 2021 .
  2. Web site: Football - Amical : Richardson, un grand parmi les grands. David. POISNEL. 9 July 2021. Paris-Normandie.
  3. News: 2021-05-15. Estac - Le Havre et autres matches : Suivez en direct la dernière journée du championnat de Ligue 2. 2021-05-15. . fr.
  4. Web site: Amir Richardson signe son premier contrat pro ! . 2013-08-02 . fr . 2021-08-01.
  5. Web site: Amir Richardson, une pépite de taille. French. 6 January 2022. 13 January 2024. Ligue 2.
  6. Web site: REIMS : LES CHAMPENOIS S'OFFRENT UNE RÉVÉLATION DE LIGUE 2 (OFF). French. 1 September 2022. 13 January 2024. Foot National.
  7. Web site: Football - Ligue 2 : révélation du début de saison du HAC, Amir Richardson se dévoile. 13 January 2024. Paris-Normandie. 28 October 2021 .
  8. Web site: Ligue 2 – Le onze des révélations de la saison 2021-2022. French. 2 June 2022. 13 January 2024. MaLigue2.
  9. Web site: Les jeunes en vue cette saison. French. 11 February 2022. 13 January 2024. Ligue 2.
  10. Web site: Amir Richardson, un Rookie en Champagne | Stade de Reims. www.stade-de-reims.com.
  11. News: Ligue 2 : Le Havre titré et promu en Ligue 1. French. 2 June 2023. 13 January 2024. Le Figaro.
  12. Web site: Trois Verts dans l'équipe type de la saison. 28 May 2023. 13 January 2024. AS Saint-Étienne.
  13. Web site: DISCIPLINE - UN MATCH DE SUSPENSION POUR AMIR RICHARDSON. 17 August 2023. 13 January 2024. French. OneFootball.
  14. Web site: Football – Ligue 1. Amir Richardson: "Je savais qu'en passant un cap au Stade de Reims, ce serait plus dur". French. 27 October 2023. 13 January 2024. L'Union.
  15. Web site: Richardson is a Viola . . 12 August 2024 . 12 August 2024 . live.
  16. Web site: JORF n° 0246 du 23 octobre 2007 – Légifrance . 2024-06-17 . legifrance.gouv.fr.
  17. Web site: Football – Amical : Richardson, un grand parmi les grands. David. POISNEL. 9 July 2021. Paris-Normandie.
  18. Web site: منتخب أقل من 23 سنة يدخل تجمع اعدادي للمنافسة بالدوري الدولي بالرباط — يسبريس 7. 21 March 2023.
  19. Web site: 9 June 2023 . Sei bianconeri con le nazionali . 27 June 2023 . . it-CH.
  20. Web site: 24 June 2023 . تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 23 سنة امام غينيا . 27 June 2023 . . ar.
  21. Web site: 8 July 2023 . Morocco win maiden TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations title with victory over Egypt Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2023 . 9 July 2023 . CAFOnline.com.
  22. Web site: 9 July 2023 . Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation . 9 July 2023 . SO FOOT.com . fr-FR.
  23. Web site: 8 July 2023 . Le Mali, le Maroc et l'Égypte qualifiés pour les JO 2024 . 9 July 2023 . SO FOOT.com . fr-FR.
  24. Web site: 2023-05-21 . USMNT news: Pepi to PSV, Richardson to the US, Brooks safe . 2024-01-08 . FanSided . en-US.
  25. Web site: Morocco 1–0 Burkina Faso (Sep 12, 2023) Final Score . 2024-01-08 . ESPN . en.
  26. Web site: Nations (AFCON) . The Moroccan national team has announced its squad for the African Cup of . Morocco's AFCON 2023 Squad Revealed . 2024-01-08 . beIN SPORTS . en-us.
  27. https://www.cnews.fr/sport/2023-06-02/sacre-champion-de-ligue-2-le-havre-va-faire-son-retour-en-ligue-1-1361584?amp
  28. Web site: 8 August 2024 . Egypt U23 vs Morocco U23: Olympics . 9 August 2024 . BBC Sport .
  29. Web site: 29 May 2023 . Ligue 2 : Arouna Sangante dans l'équipe type de la saison . 29 May 2023 . Wiwsport.com . fr.