The Premier League footballers studying to become sporting directors

What the report says

Premier League players and former pros are being highlighted for pursuing business and leadership qualifications alongside their playing careers, in a BBC Sport report from a Professional Footballers’ Association graduation event at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Among the graduates are Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi and ex-Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, with the course aimed at preparing participants for roles such as coaches, executives and sporting directors.

Dewsbury-Hall, who travelled from Merseyside for the ceremony, said he completed a postgraduate diploma in global football sport directorship because he wants to keep learning while he is still playing. Awoniyi said the qualification is his third, after earlier study in business management and another diploma, and described education as a promise he made to his father. The BBC report says some players have fitted coursework around training and travel, including studying on team bus journeys.

The article also uses Azpilicueta’s experience to show how study can sit alongside top-level football. He said learning helped him stay focused before major matches, including Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League final win. The broader point of the story is that footballers are increasingly preparing for careers beyond the pitch while still active, challenging stereotypes about the profession and building skills that may matter after retirement.