Although there are active footballers who are more than 40 years old, like Gianluigi Buffon, the current keeper of Parma (Italian Serie B), they rarely compete in top-flight competitions such as the English Premier League (EPL).
Today, Thiago Silva, a Brazilian footballer, is the oldest athlete in EPL. However, he has missed many games because of a groin injury since 12th February. His age might be one of the contributory factors for him being highly predisposed to injuries.
When a player deems themselves less valuable to the club, their resolution is often retiring. Some opt to be managers like Mikel Arteta, an Arsenal head coach or pundit such as Ian Wright, a former Arsenal player. However, these positions are not only limited but also might require someone with academic qualifications.
Besides obtaining a UEFA Pro License that allows players to coach top flight teams such as Bayern Leverkusen, Barcelona, or Manchester City, graduating with some degrees gives them an upper hand in administrative roles and physical fitness instructions.
Similarly, football clubs and national teams often sack their managers before the contract ends. Unless a football coach has a reputation for winning trophies and qualifying for various tournaments, some might remain jobless for several months.
However, managers with academic qualifications can keep themselves busy with their careers, such as reporting news. Considering that football players began their careers as early as 7 years old, many depend on professional help from essay writers to balance academics and passion for talent.
5 footballers you never knew about their academics
1. Romelu Lukaku
Rather than knowing Romelu Lukaku’s ups and downs in professional football, especially when he flopped at Manchester United and Chelsea despite his success in Everton, Inter Milan, and the Spanish national team, what is interesting about him?
He studied public relations and tourism. These academic qualifications match his fluency in speaking different languages, specifically Congolese, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and English. Suppose you idolize this player and aim to not only play for various clubs but also pursue a degree in English.
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2. Simon Mignolet
Considering that he assisted Liverpool FC in winning the UEFA Champions League, Simon Mignolet remains one of the most celebrated players as a goalkeeper in the history of the Reds. Two years after signing for this club, he won the Player of the Year award.
He joined Club Brugge at a transfer fee of $7 after Liverpool FC signed Allison Becker in 2018. Concerning his intellectual abilities, Mignolet can speak up to five languages fluently – native Flemish, French, English, Dutch, and German. He graduated with a Political Science and Law degree at the University of Leuven. His parents often encouraged him to balance sports and academics.
Regardless of where you come from, attaining education, even with talent in football, always seems to be the brightest idea. However, competitiveness in any sport requires total commitment to training to play at the top level in Europe. For that reason, you should connect with professionals on customwritings LinkedIn to understand how you can balance academics and sports.
3. Juan Mata
Although he hasn’t played for any club since he left Vissel Kobe on 1st February 2024, Mata profoundly contributed to the success of Valencia, Chelsea, and Manchester United. However, something that people don’t know concerns his academic qualifications.
Mata prides himself on having two degrees. In particular, he graduated with bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Sports Science from Universidad Camilo Jose Cela in Madrid. Interestingly, this player attained these academic qualifications when playing for Chelsea and Valencia.
During this period, his performance never reduced as he assisted Chelsea in winning the 2012 UEFA Champions League, the 2012 FA Cup Champion, and the 2013 Europa League Champion. Mata is probably considering entering into coaching, but he might do it while studying psychology! Ideally, some consider this player a genius off and on the pitch.
5. Frank Lampard
If you’ve been a football fan for more than two decades, you’ve probably witnessed Chelsea’s dominance in EPL. In particular, Lampard won 13 trophies, which include the 2012 UEFA Champions League; 2005, 2006, and 2010 Premier League; 2005 and 2009 FA Community Shield; 2005 and 2007 League Cup; and 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012 FA Cup.
Due to his excellent performance and contribution to winning titles, Chelsea considers this player a legend. It’s because of this reason that he became the Chelsea coach. Although he recorded a dismal performance as a manager, the club didn’t fire him, but they mutually agreed to terminate the contract.
Besides his outstanding performance as a player, especially at Chelsea, Lampard’s IQ exceeds 150. Only 0.5% of the world population fit this category. He studied 11 GCSEs at the Brentwood School in Essex and performed excellently, besides scoring an A in Latin. Although his coaching career had been more of downs and ups, Lampard’s academic and football career is worth admiring.
In retrospect, even if a sportsperson wins trophies and individual awards, such as the club or league player of the year, they should consider advancing their careers. One of the underlying reasons concerns for them to have an option in case of debilitating injury or after retirement.
Based on the performance of players listed in this article, you can’t make an excuse for being busy in training and playing games to study, especially with the availability of online assistance!
