Highly Prominent Educated Soccer Players

By Hosea Namachanja.

Even though football is rumoured to be the host of academically unparalleled people, there exists
academicians who have defied all odds to maneuver through class terrains.

Juggling between football and books is always a field not for many since immemorial. However, things
are changing in our contemporary society where many footballers apart from natural talent, are
pursuing professional courses in their field of love like the ones below:

1. Vincent Kompany (MA in Business Administration) a former Manchester City player besides football,
   his shoulders have excellent academic certificates dangling on them. He first got awarded an
   undergraduate Degree from Alliance Manchester Business School which later, advanced to Masters and got awarded a Masters Degree in Business Administration. In 2019, The University of Manchester awarded him an honorary doctorate title while pursuing a doctoral degree focusing on International Political Economy.
   
2. Duncan Watmore (MA- International Business Leadership & Management) is one of the only two
   English fiercest cremé de la cremé intelligentsia football players to have earned a First Class Honors
   Degree. The Middlesbrough striker got his first Degree at 21, when playing for Sunderland in Economics and Business Management from Newcastle University Business School and later, 2021, got awarded a Master’s Degree in International Business Leadership & Management from York University.
   “Football is a very short-term career and I always have my eye on what I want to do next and I
   thought having a university degree and studying could help,” says Watmore.
   
3. Juan Mata a former Manchester United player holds two degrees from the Universidad Camilo Jose
   Cela, one in Sports Science and another in Marketing. Additionally, he has some interests in Psychology.
   
4. Giorgio Chiellini (MA in Business Management) an Italian footballer in 2018 told the world player’s
   union, FIFPro ; I quote, ” We have to encourage more football players to study and increase the
   number with university degrees. Because life is long.” He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in
   Economics and Commerce, 2010 from the University of Turin. Additionally, he went further and now has a Master’s Degree in Business Management around his waist.
   
5. Andrey Arshavin ( Degree in Fashion Design) a Russian and former Arsenal footballer holds his
   academic degree from the University of Technology and Design in St Petersburg. Further more, he has written an academic thesis on a suit that can also function as sportswear. Arshavin is also a published author of three books for instance one entitled; 555 Questions and Answers on Women, Money, Politics and Football.
   
6. David Wetherall ( Degree in Chemistry) is the first English Premier League footballer to have
   graduated with a First Class Honors Degree. A former Leeds and Bradford footballer acquired his
   undergraduate Degree from the University of Sheffield, 1992. It’s rumoured that, in terms of intellectual stimulation; dressing room may have been a step down from his lectures.
   
7. Simon Mignolet (Degree in Political Science and Law). A legendary goalkeeper, Liverpool FC is a
   polyglot who speaks five languages fluently; German, French, Dutch, English and native Flemish. In 2013 when interviewed by Daily Mail, he was quoted saying ” When I started playing, my parents told me to go to university. ” This seemed to be a motive from his parents.

Additionally he said, ‘they just said choose wisely and find something you can combine with training.
It was not because of an interest in politics. It was to have something behind me in case something
went wrong.” Mignolet pursued his Degree in Political Science and Law in the University of Leuven.

8. Vieira de Oliveira (19 Feb, 1954 – 4 Dec, 2011), aka Sócrates, at 23 years of age, became a qualified
   physician as he got awarded a bachelor’s degree from the medical university of São Paulo. Advently, his medical degree and political awareness, combined with his field prowess enigma, earned him the
   nickname “Doctor Socrates”. He’s the first global renown footballer to pursue a degree in the field of
   medicine.

In a nutshell, not only the mentioned footballers are the ones to have pursued education to higher
levels, but we also have others with doctorates, masters, certificates and diplomas.

Just to highlight but a few: Former Manchester United Goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar (Master’s Degree
in International Sports Management), former Nigerian footballers; Felix Owolabi Akinloye (PhD in
Physical Education), Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji (Master’s Degree in Law), Seyi Olofinjana (Bachelor’s
Degree in Chemical Engineering and Master’s Degree in Sporting Directorship) and highly profiled field
marshal polyglots Romeo Lukaku who holds a Degree in Public Relations.

About The Author

By Billy Miya

I am a young Kenyan male, highly experienced, innovative and creative, energized and motivated presenter with a strong determination to meet challenges and achieve stretching targets through the microphone. Am also a good organizer and a team player whose interest lie in digital marketing, creatively developing content for brands to communicate vision and mission to various target audiences. Additionally, I am keen on developing expertise and learn to implement a model of collaborative action and collective impact for systems change. I innovate using the Internet of Things to attain optimal outcomes in branding and digital communications. I can stay calm and behave in a reasonable way in difficult situations. I tend to work smart, and I can convey information clearly and concisely to others. I have confidence and a sense of authority which tends to put me in the role of a group leader. I can learn on the job and adapt to any situation. My key values are commitment, determination, reliability, and a high degree of personal integrity.

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