A book on TikTok would be better. Because more and more athletes are graduating

One can pursue a doctorate even in sport. And sometimes by making a virtue of necessity: the most recent example is that of Xavi Simons, the Dutch midfielder at Tottenham, who has turned a long-term injury into an opportunity to enrol at none other than Harvard Business School. He will follow the ‘Crossover into Business’ programme online, which lasts one semester – roughly the time needed to recover from a cruciate ligament tear – whilst waiting, who knows, for a full degree course. Before him, Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga had embarked on a similar path at the same prestigious American university. More generally, an increasing number of footballers and young athletes are seeking to obtain an academic qualification whilst still pursuing their competitive careers. As Simons puts it, “continuing to learn and grow even off the pitch” has become a priority in the present in order to build a future. This is happening in a much more widespread and structured way than in the past.

Until not too long ago, the image of the elite sportsman in the collective imagination bordered on the stereotype, if not outright farce. The exceptions made the news: from the great Sócrates, a medical graduate, to the tireless Pietro Mennea – who, just a few days before his victory in Moscow in 1980, also earned his university degree, the first of no fewer than four academic qualifications. Today, however, starting with Giorgio Chiellini, it is increasingly common to come across graduates with degrees in Business, Sports Management or Sports Science – these being the most frequent fields of study, natural extensions of the competitive world. “The things we deal with every day,” sums up Davide Ghiotto, Olympic champion in the team pursuit at Milan-Cortina 2026. “It’s perfectly logical: these are the fields of knowledge we athletes engage with. Certainly not hermeneutics.”

And yet, curiously enough, the Italian skater chose Philosophy of all subjects. “When I started university in Trento, my competitive ice-skating career also began. At first, I managed to balance the two commitments: I went to lectures in the morning, studied in the afternoon and skated in the evening. Then I had to juggle everything right up until my dissertation. But you know what? Studying something quite different during training camps, trips and pre-competition periods with the national team has always been the outlet for me that sport has struggled to provide. So yes, even today I always carry a few books with me. My degree was useful for that too.”

Ghiotto reflects on this with a smile, recalling “all those interviews that began with the same question: why philosophy, of all things? The fact is, it has always fascinated me. And studying this subject has given me a more critical mind, teaching me how to argue my case and approach conversations in a serious manner. Although it’s hard to shake off the clichés. When we’re chatting and joking around with my teammates, at some point the typical joke comes up: ‘Everyone stop, let’s hear what the philosopher has to say!’. Evidently, I’m doomed.”

And like Davide, there are many other champions of eccentricity. Basketball, swimming, athletics: Pippo Ricci has a degree in Mathematics, Chiara Pellacani in Psychology, Simona Quadarella in Digital Communication, and Nadia Battocletti in Construction Engineering and Architecture. There are some top-class lawyers – such as the former footballers Ielpo, Stendardo and Pecchia, though here it comes in handy for a career as a sports agent – PhDs in Political Science – Sofia Goggia and Federica Cesarini, Olympic medallists in skiing and rowing respectively – and multi-medal-winning athletes even beyond their competitive careers: Anna Danesi, captain of the Italian women’s volleyball team, has as many degrees as she has world championship medals (Psychology, Sports Science, Food Science).

Other philosophers like Ghiotto – though they can be counted on the fingers of one hand – can be found in football. “As a student, back in my hometown of Parma. Then, when I reached Serie A during my time at SPAL, I put my studies on hold,” says Luca Mora, who just a few days ago became D’Angelo’s assistant on the Sampdoria bench. “I recommend ‘freezing’ to many professional players who wouldn’t otherwise know what to do: it costs just a few hundred euros a year, allows you to retain the exams you’ve already taken and to resume your studies when you’re able to. In the end, I graduated at the age of 32; in 2015 I’d even taken part in the Universiade. It’s a commitment that gives and takes, but it also gives you a great deal of mental freedom: for me, it was simply a personal choice, having developed a passion for it back in my sixth-form days. Whilst I was playing, I never thought that this degree might open up who knows what opportunities for me. I did it for myself, for my own satisfaction. These are things that stay with you. They can come in handy: now, as a coach, I find it easier to communicate, to help people see things clearly, and to analyse certain problems through dialogue. Philosophy helps in life, and sometimes it would be nice to be able to simplify it so that more people can understand it.” Mora recalls that in his days as a midfielder, “only Simone Romagnoli – who, incidentally, is still playing – was studying the same subject as me. And generally speaking, there were very few footballers like that: now things are changing rapidly. Being able to study online makes the process easier. But there’s more to it than that.”

The proportion of graduates in the world of sport is indeed on the rise: over 5 per cent in Serie A football, a figure that rises to 15 per cent in Serie C and amongst Olympic athletes. In some disciplines, moreover, nearly one in three female athletes holds a doctorate. This trend should come as no surprise, given that the financial security offered by a competitive sporting career diminishes as the league tier drops and depending on the type of sport – with further disadvantages for women. In short, the opportunity cost of the university route becomes more appealing in certain contexts. And in recent years, access to higher education has also been facilitated by the expansion of Dual Career programmes: with flexible exam schedules, dedicated tutors and scholarships, athletes are increasingly supported and less and less forced to choose between two very distinct life paths. Advice from philosopher Ghiotto: “Better a book than a TikTok reel, between training sessions. All it takes to graduate is the will to do so. And perhaps one day that piece of paper will open up paths that those involved in sport cannot yet see. So to young people I say: go for it. Why deny yourself the chance?”