When Hugo Bueno walked out at Molineux on Sunday afternoon, there was an extra layer of significance to the moment. The Wolves Academy graduate, still just 23, made his 50th Premier League appearance.
It’s a milestone that carries weight, not only because of the number itself, but because of the path he has taken to get to this moment. Bueno’s Old Gold journey from arriving in the Black Country as an unknown Spanish teenager to now becoming a Premier League regular has been marked by patience, setbacks, self-belief and a mindset that never wavered.
His story is also not one of overnight success. He’s had to preserve; learn to take strength from difficulties he’s faced and find positivity in places where others might see only frustration.
Bueno's season-long loan at Feyenoord in 2024/25 might have accelerated his growth, but it is his internal attitude, more than anything, that has transformed him into a reliable defender for Vitor Pereira’s side.
A visit to Tottenham Hotspur two weekends ago offered a snapshot of both Wolves and Bueno’s progress and the challenges still ahead. The team led until a heartbreaking late equaliser denied them their first win of the season.
Bueno, who even spent the last 10 minutes of the match donning the captain’s armband of the club he’s represented since 16-years-old, has become a steadying presence at left-back and left wing-back (and surprisingly on the right during the trio to Newcastle) so far this season, reflected on the disappointing end to the match with typical composure.
“It was really painful, but I try to keep with the positives of this game and I think the team showed a really good character. I think we controlled the game, we played really well, so we have to keep going like this.
“I’m really proud of the team but we have to look forward to the next games and to the next points and hopefully we can win that one.”
It is an answer that encapsulates Bueno’s footballing philosophy – take what you can from the moment, good or bad, and keep moving forward.
The Spanish full-back knows better than most that football careers rarely run in straight lines. Wolves supporters are now well versed in Bueno’s gold and black journey, which has involved starring at academy level before injuries, long spells out of the side, and an uncertainty of whether regular opportunities will ever arrive at Molineux after he made the step up to the first-team back in 2021.
But those struggles he’s faced have been as important as any of his triumphs.
“In these times, it’s tough,” Bueno admits. “But it’s part of football and I always say thank you for the good moments, but also thank you for the bad ones, because those are what make you stronger.
“I always try to take positives out of everything because there’s always a positive thing, even though the situation is maybe not the best, there are always positive things, and that’s what’s kept me going.
“I’ve always believed I was going to have my chance, and if it’s not now, then it will be in the future, so I’ve just got to stay ready, because if you don’t work for that, then when you have the chance, you are not ready. It’s just trying to have a good mental attitude and be positive.”
It is no cliché when Bueno speaks about positivity. For him, gratitude is not just reserved for the highlights but also for the low points. Each setback has been, in his words, a source of strength.
That same resilience has carried into his role within Wolves’ squad. At a time when the club has had its share of dips in form, Bueno’s message has been consistent – belief in the group must remain unshaken.
“I know that when the results don’t come, the doubts start appearing. But, as a team, we absolutely have no doubt in our quality, in our players, and that’s what matters. We are really confident in ourselves, and we saw that [against Spurs], we saw that Tuesday in the cup [against Everton] and hopefully we keep showing like this.
“We had lots of meetings because of our situation, and we know we have the quality to be higher up in the table. We are just believing more in ourselves, in our work, in our players and our quality. I hope the team will keep growing every week.”
It is this kind of voice, one that is steady, grounded and quietly assured, that makes Bueno as valuable in the dressing room as he is on the pitch.
His character was given a stern test last season, when he made the decision to join Feyenoord on loan. Leaving the familiarity of Compton Park – which has been his home since 2019 – for the challenge of a new country, language and style of football, it could have gone either way. Instead, the experience of Eredivisie and Champions League football proved transformative.
In Rotterdam, Bueno gained more than minutes on the pitch. He found a new dimension to his game, and perhaps more importantly, the confidence that he could thrive wherever football might take him.
“It was a massive year for me. I will always say thank you to Feyenoord because I grew a lot as player and as a person, so to come back here, feeling more confident is also a big part because of them. I learned quite a lot, because when I got there, it was another big change for me, but I’m one of those players that adapt really quick.
“When I first came to England, I was just 16, so I had to adapt quickly. I’ve always been adapting to the situations that are around me since a really young age, so I think that helped me. It’s just something that is inside of me. But I always just try to do my best, give 100% every day, and whatever happens will happen.
“Even when I came back this summer, I was thinking about how I’m going to feel now, going coming back to the Premier League as it’s more physical and I didn’t know how I was going to feel, but I felt really good. This also gives me more confidence because when you work well and you do your best, it doesn’t matter what’s in front of you – you’re ready for it.”
Adaptability has been a theme of Bueno’s career from the very beginning. Leaving Spain as a teenager to chase his dream in England, he had no choice but to grow up fast. Now after a season in the Netherlands, he has readjusted again to the intensity and physicality of the Premier League. But each transition has reinforced his belief that with hard work and the right mindset, he can handle whatever is thrown at him.
As he prepared to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon, Bueno reflected on the meaning of the possibility of reaching 50 appearances in the Premier League – a milestone that means he will no longer be judged as a prospect, but as an established Old Gold player.
“It feels really good to play that many games in the best league in the world and hopefully there’s many more, but it feels really good.
“This is the best league in the world, it has the best players, and the competition is really high, so I knew the standards were going to be really high, but I just tried to focus on my work. I worked on myself to be the best person I could be every day and I know the results would come.
“Now I’ve just got to try to play well, do what the manager says and help the team as much as I can, do my individual things and if I can do that, it will also help the team.”
After earning that landmark appearance this weekend, Wolves fans will no longer see the defender as another success story out of the academy, but a symbol of what the club’s future can look like. He’s a homegrown player – ‘one of our own’ – who is always hard-working, adaptable, positive and ready for the next challenge.
Because for Hugo, this is only the beginning.
This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2025/26 matchday programme. This season's programmes are available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.
