How education made me a better footballer – Azpilicueta

Former Chelsea captain, Cesar Azpilicueta, says his commitment to education helped him become a better footballer and navigate the final years of his playing career.

37-year-old Azpilicueta said his parents encouraged him to perform well at school before he became a professional footballer and that his studies later helped him develop away from the pitch.

“When I was a kid my parents pushed me to get good grades and finish school,” Azpilicueta told BBC Sport.

“I wasn’t a professional footballer until I was 17, in my last year of school. Education was always important. When Covid-19 arrived, we had more time.

“I found some courses, but I didn’t start because I thought it was the end of my career. It was more that I wanted to learn, improve myself and do it in another language.

“It wasn’t because I thought it was my last year as a footballer, but it did help me navigate the final years of my career, become a better person and a better footballer.”

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Azpilicueta’s interest in education continued during his playing career, including during Chelsea’s run to the 2021 Champions League final.

Unable to take his customary pre-match nap before the final against Manchester City in Porto, he instead studied for an MBA in business management from the Berlin School of Business and Innovation.

Later that day, he lifted the Champions League trophy after captaining Chelsea to a 1-0 victory over City.

Azpilicueta has since added a diploma in global football sport directorship through the PFA Business School. He also holds a diploma from Harvard Business School.

He was speaking at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium while collecting his latest qualification, joking that he did not feel “entirely comfortable” at the home of Chelsea’s London rivals.

‘Chelsea made me who I am’
Azpilicueta joined Chelsea from Marseille in 2012 for £7m after starting his career at Osasuna.

He arrived as a relatively low-profile signing but went on to become one of the club’s longest-serving players and captains, adapting to different managers and positions.

“I started as a right winger, moved to France, then moved to Chelsea. I wasn’t a star signing. I had to find my way. Left-back, wing-back, centre-back in a back three.

“It was about consistency. I had to work hard to stay fit, adapt to different managers and different positions.

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