ZURICH — World Cup and Champions League winners are learning about the soccer industry at FIFA alongside club founders and front-office leaders.
Now in its third edition, the FIFA course aims to give former stars a pathway to careers off the field and better educate soccer industry executives about the players’ perspective.“When we learn something it is a great feeling. These courses give us a chance to do that,” said Mata, who won a World Cup title with Spain and a Champions League with Chelsea.
“There are many of us that are capable of doing it and we have shown we are capable,” Wise said. “You are never too old to continue to learn.”This generation of newly-retired international players typically acquired enough wealth to have serious investment options and no need to work again. Mata has a stake in Formula One team Alpine.
“You could have heard a pin drop in the room when he spoke,” said Karina LeBlanc, the storied former Canada goalkeeper and now general manager at Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League.