Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Xavi Simons wants to use the extra time on his hands during a long-winded ACL rehab to improve other aspects of his life.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain talent, unlikely to be back playing for Spurs until February 2027 at the earliest, is now a Harvard student, having been accepted onto Harvard Business School’s Crossover Into Business Program.
It describes itself as a “semester-long program in which professional athletes develop their business acumen by working with MBA student mentors.”
“Built” with professional athletes in mind, the program promises to make them “better prepared for business activities during and after their active sports careers.” The mentors “empower them to make better business decisions, all in a way that fits the athletes’ busy lives.”
Like a true business person, Simons used LinkedIn as his platform of choice to announce this.
“I’m going back to school,” he said. “During my recovery, I’ve been trying to use my time in the best way possible. Football is still my main focus, but I also want to keep learning and improving away from the pitch. I’m happy to share that I’ve been accepted onto the Crossover Into Business Program at Harvard Business School.”
The Netherlands international was forced to miss the 2026 World Cup because of his knee injury but has still spent time on both coasts of the United States—including Boston, where he linked up with Dutch-American economist and HBS professor Anita Elberse.
“We first met during my time at FC Barcelona, and later again at Paris Saint-Germain. We’ve stayed in touch over the years, so it was great to see her again and visit Harvard while I was in Boston,” Simons said. “Getting back on the pitch is still my number one priority. At the same time, I want to use this period to keep learning and invest in myself beyond football.”
Harvard lists all manner of professional athletes who have taken the Crossover Into Business Program. Simons is by no means a lone representative from the sport of soccer, but the graduate carrying the flag is 11-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh. Indeed, the program was originally launched nine years ago in partnership with the NBA.
What Career Can Xavi Simons Have After Soccer?
A lot of professional soccer players who retire stay in the sport as coaches or managers. That will be an option for Simons, too, but he seems to be looking higher.
The 23-year-old said he has “always been interested in more than just football” and wants to “understand the business side of the game better, learn from people in different industries and keep developing as a person.”
Some ex-professionals do go down the soccer business route. Simons’s fellow Dutchman, Edwin van der Sar, did exactly that. He joined Ajax as marketing director in 2012 and was promoted to CEO in 2016, going on to oversee the club’s Champions League resurgence.
David Beckham is arguably as well known for his post-playing business career as what he did on the field, becoming a club owner when he co-founded Inter Miami in 2018. He also recently made history in 2026 as the U.K.’s first billionaire sportsman.
Ex-Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique, meanwhile, is building a multi-club empire with teams in Spain’s soccer pyramid and has other business interests in sports and media.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
