Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has completed a third academic qualification while pursuing his professional football career, fulfilling a promise he made to his father to continue his education alongside the sport.
The Coventry City forward disclosed this in an interview with BBC Sport after graduating from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School.
Awoniyi said his father, Solomon, had always impressed on him the importance of education, a message that remained with him as he progressed through professional football.
“I say to people I’m a quiet dreamer. I always felt education was important. It was a promise I made to my dad that if I played football, I would keep studying,” he said.
“That is what I’ve done and I am proud of it.”
The 29-year-old said he had previously earned a degree in business management and another diploma before completing the PFA Business School programme.
“I’ve got a degree in business management and another diploma, so this is my third qualification,” he told BBC Sport.
Awoniyi said the demands of professional football could make further study challenging, but maintained that players could use their time outside training and matches to develop skills for life beyond the pitch.
“It’s not like a 9-5 job in football. We go in and sometimes finish quite early and, although it is challenging, I think every footballer has time in the evening for something like this business school,” he said.
“Of course it demands a lot from you, so it is all about how willing you are to do it.”
His decision to pursue further education comes amid the uncertainties that can accompany a career in professional sport. Awoniyi experienced a major setback in May 2025 when he suffered a serious abdominal injury after colliding with a goalpost during Nottingham Forest’s Premier League match against Leicester City. He underwent emergency treatment and was placed in a medically induced coma after sustaining a ruptured intestine.
Reflecting on the demands placed on footballers and public perceptions of their lives, Awoniyi said the sport should not define them entirely.
“There are a lot of things that are bigger than football. Yes, football is our passion but we are normal human beings as well, and maybe that’s something the world doesn’t always see,” he said.
The PFA Business School structures its programmes around the schedules of professional players, using seminars designed to minimise clashes with training and matches while allowing participants to complete independent study at their own pace.
Awoniyi joined Coventry City from Nottingham Forest during the summer. His latest qualification adds to his academic achievements as he continues his playing career, reflecting his determination to prepare for opportunities beyond football.
