Several Premier League stars have excelled in the classroom as well as on the football pitch. Thousands of students will learn their A-level results on Thursday, and many top footballers understand the importance of education.
While few top-flight stars take A-level exams, choosing to prioritise making their way up the academy ladder, a handful of footballers are known for their academic achievements. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka got four A*s and three As in his GCSEs, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire earned similar results, while Chelsea legend Frank Lampard’s 11 GCSEs included an A* in Latin.
Footballers who pursued degrees
As students discover their A-level results and decide on their next steps, several footballers have previously opted to study for degrees, either alongside or after their playing career. “These are super-clever individuals in terms of how their brain works,” Predrag Petrovic of the Karolinska Institute, who studied footballers’ cognitive abilities, told The Times in 2025. “Maybe some of them are not as schooled but you absolutely cannot dismiss their brains.”
Here is a look at the Premier League stars who also pursued higher education.
Andrey Arshavin and Duncan Watmore
Arsenal icon Andrey Arshavin enrolled in the St Petersburg State University of Technology and Design as a 17-year-old. He later switched to a fashion design degree due to the demands of his budding football career and later developed his own clothing line. “I enrolled in the chemical technology department,” Arshavin recalled. “But when I began training with Zenit I had to miss a lot of classes. I transferred to the clothes design department. I have designed several garments myself.”
Former Sunderland player Duncan Watmore, 32, began his footballing career with non-league Altrincham before earning a Premier League move to the Black Cats in 2013. Despite becoming a top-flight star, Watmore was unwilling to stop his education. The forward had been studying economics and business management at the University of Manchester and transferred to Newcastle University upon joining Sunderland. The 32-year-old, who recently hung up his boots, graduated with a first-class honours degree in January 2015.
Romelu Lukaku and Simon Mignolet
Romelu Lukaku has enjoyed a glittering career that has seen him lead the line for the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan. The 33-year-old is also Belgium’s record scorer with 93 goals. However, the striker has also been committed to his studies as he reportedly holds a degree in public relations and tourism. Meanwhile, Lukaku can speak eight languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Lingala.
Former Liverpool and Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has several career options after recently hanging up his gloves. The 38-year-old holds a degree in political science and already owns a coffee shop in his native Belgium.
Juan Mata, Clarke Carlisle and Fikayo Tomori
Juan Mata starred for Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premier League, winning two FA Cups and the Champions League during his time in England. The intelligent Spanish midfielder also focused on his education, earning degrees in marketing and sports science.
Former Burnley defender Clarke Carlisle became known for his smarts during his playing days, becoming PFA chairman, and earned a degree in professional sports writing and broadcasting from Staffordshire University. The 46-year-old also appeared on Countdown as a contestant, winning two shows.
Former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori continued his studies as he began stepping up to first team football. The 28-year-old, who currently plays for AC Milan, completed an Open University degree in business management in 2021.
