Most Educated Footballers In The World

Football players mostly make headlines with their contracts, hairstyles, salaries, or scandals. However, some of them graduated from college and broke the stereotypes. In this article, we will take a look at the most educated footballers in the world!

Socrates

Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, aka Doctor Socrates, was an iconic player. The Brazilian soccer legend was named after the famous Greek philosopher and got worthy of his name. He earned recognition on and off the football field. Socrates went to college and earned a medical degree, and served as an activist in Brazil, gaining fame as one of the most educated footballers in the world. The attacking midfielder was nicknamed Doctor because of his profession but was also the biggest football star of the 1980s in Brazil. 

He was the captain of the Brazilian team at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups in Mexico. Socrates also played for Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo, and Santos. In Europe, he was signed by Fiorentina in 1984 and 1985, where he scored six goals, and then played in England. Socrates scored a total of 76 goals, of which he kicked in the national team. After retiring from professional football, he worked as a commentator on Brazilian television and wrote articles as a freelancer.

Most Educated Footballers in the World

While most of Glen Johnson’s teammates had vacations and were on breaks, he pursued his math degree at Open University through a distance learning course. He wanted to retire at an age when his body was still strong and fit.

So, he quit being a pro player in 2019, when he was 34 years old, and put his degree to good use, founding an investment company that has stakes in art, wines, and real estate. The former defender started his career at West Ham United, then signed with Chelsea for six million pounds in 2003. 

Johnson won the league title with the Blues, then moved to Portsmouth, where he won the FA Cup, and in the 2008-2009 season, the BBC awarded him the Goal of the Year title for his score against Hull City. He went to Liverpool next, where he played 200 matches until signing with Stoke City, where he stayed until 2018. Glen Johnson played 54 times for the English national team at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, as well as at the 2012 European Championship.

Juan Mata

World and European champion Spanish football player Juan Mata will continue his career in the Turkish club Galatasaray. The 34-year-old midfielder’s contract with his last club, manchester United, expired at the end of the previous season, so he signed with the Istambul club. Before MU, Mata played for Chelsea between 2011 and 2014. During his career in England, he won two FA Cups, one Champions League, and two Europa League titles. 

He was a member of the World Championship-winning Spanish national team in 2010 and the European Champion team in 2012. As for his studies, he attended the University of Camilo Jose Cela and earned two degrees. He majored in Sports Science and Marketing being among the most educated footballers in the world. Mata may pursue a coaching career after retiring from professional sports, but he has also shown interest in psychology, which is no surprise to those who have seen him on and off the field.

Most Educated Footballers in the World 

Shaka Hislop spent his football career in the top division and had been part of four world-famous teams in England. The former goalkeeper of Newcastle and West Ham earned a degree in engineering and even worked for NASA for a summer in Washington. In addition, he also attended an advanced engineering training course in the Caribbean.

However, that is not all! Hislop received an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree from Newcastle University for his contribution to anti-racist studies and education since the 90s. He also founded a charity called Show Racism the Red Card and participated in several campaigns. 

Nedum Onuoha

The Nigerian QPR forward was one of the most educated footballers in the world. He was great with mathematics and business studies and was also very good with IT.

On the other hand, he was interested in more than that, but he did not have time to study even more. He was studying at Manchester Metropolitan University while playing as a pro footballer and finished school with an accountant degree. After retiring from playing, he returned to Machester and joined the club’s community project board.

Most Educated Footballers in the World

Though Frank Lampard did not earn a degree, he is considered one of the most intelligent athletes. Lampard played as a midfielder at Chelsea, where he achieved an outstanding result in an IQ test that all the players of the football club had to take. The team did not reveal the test results, but according to online gambling sites in the UK, his score was above 150. He earned one of the best totals the company has ever seen, which makes him one of the most intelligent people in England. 

The former player completed his high school studies at a private school in Essex with excellent results, particularly in Latin. However, he chose professional football instead of getting higher education. Lampard turned pro at West Ham at 18 and played for Chelsea as well, and now, he is coaching teams. He holds several records at Chelsea, like scoring the most goals in the team’s history.

Romelu Lukaku

As a striker, Lukaku is known for his goalscoring abilities. He has played in England, Belgium, and Italy. However, he is famous for being one of the most educated footballers in the world as well. Lukaku went to college and graduated in Public Relations. The Belgian player is also fluent in six languages: English, French, Dutch, Congolese, Italian, and Spanish. Currently, he plays in Inter Milan on loan from Chelsea, but his odds at 888sport Sportsbookwere influenced by his recent injury. Though, he seems to be back to his old self now. By clicking on the link, you can check out the best soccer betting guide!

Most Educated Footballers in the World

Fikayo Tomori is only 25 years old but has great plans. The former Chelsea and current AC Milan defender is studying business management at Open University since he wants something to fall back on if his football career doesn’t work out. His teachers talk about him as a bright student, which is quite the praise. He claimed in an interview that while his teammates play video games or go out, he stays in to study.

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