Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons has enrolled in a Harvard University business programme while continuing his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.
The 23-year-old Netherlands international has been out of action since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in April, an injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup.
Simons has been accepted onto Harvard’s Crossover into Business programme, which is designed to help professional athletes develop commercial and management skills alongside their sporting careers.
The online course connects participating athletes with Harvard MBA students, who provide mentoring through business case studies and practical work focused on enterprise management.
Simons has been using his extended spell away from football to broaden his knowledge beyond the pitch, with particular interest in understanding the commercial side of the sport and learning from professionals in other industries.
Football remains his priority, however, as he works towards returning to competitive action. Simons recently travelled to the United States to continue his physical rehabilitation and also visited Harvard’s campus in Boston.
The Crossover into Business programme has previously attracted athletes from major sports including basketball, American football and tennis. Former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka is among the previous participants.
Simons is not the only high-profile footballer to study at Harvard. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga attended a short course on the business of entertainment, media and sports in June after missing out on France’s World Cup squad.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also developed a connection with the university after retiring from management, taking up a long-term teaching role at Harvard in 2014.
For Simons, the course provides an opportunity to continue his personal development during a lengthy rehabilitation period, while his main objective remains completing his recovery and returning to Tottenham’s midfield.