Super Eagles: Who inspired Taiwo Awoniyi’s PFA degree?

Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed the person behind his decision to continue studying alongside his football career after completing his latest qualification at the PFA Business School, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Coventry City striker graduated from the PFA Business School with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit.

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Awoniyi was among the 2026 cohort that celebrated their graduation at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, alongside former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and former Everton player Tim Cahill.

For the 29-year-old Nigeria international, however, the achievement was not simply about adding another qualification to his CV.

It was also the latest fulfilment of a promise he made to his father, Solomon, who placed a strong emphasis on education while Awoniyi was growing up in Nigeria.

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Taiwo Awoniyi reveals the man behind his academic journey

Awoniyi already had a diploma in Business Administration and Marketing Management (London School of International Business, 2020), and a diploma in Business Management (Buckinghamshire New University) before completing the PFA programme, making the new qualification his third academic achievement.

The striker explained that his father's influence played a major role in his determination to continue his education despite becoming a professional footballer.

“I’ve got a degree in business management and another diploma, so this is my third qualification,” Awoniyi told BBC Sport.

“I say to people I am 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.

“That’s what I have done, and I am proud of it.”

Awoniyi's comments offer an insight into the values that have remained important to him despite the demands of a professional football career.

His father took a strict approach to his son's education, with the emphasis on schooling at one point almost preventing Awoniyi from pursuing football professionally.

The striker eventually progressed from the Imperial Soccer Academy to Liverpool before establishing himself in European football with Union Berlin after a series of loans and later earning a move to the Premier League.

Super Eagles star eyes a future in football after retirement

Awoniyi's latest qualification is also directly connected to the sport he has spent his life playing.

The PFA Business School's Global Football Sport Directorship programme is designed to prepare participants for senior roles within the football industry, giving the Nigerian international an avenue to continue his involvement in the game beyond his playing career.

The 12-cap Super Eagles striker believes professional footballers can find the time to develop themselves away from the pitch despite the demands of their careers.

“It’s not like a 9-5 job in football,” the former Mainz 05 forward said.

“We go in and sometimes finish quite early and, although it’s challenging, I think every footballer has time in the evening for something like this business school.

“Of course, it demands a lot from you, and it’s all about how willing you are to do it.”

For Awoniyi, the motivation goes beyond preparing for life after football. He also wants to challenge the idea that a player's identity should revolve entirely around what happens on the pitch.

“I say to people there are a lot of things that are bigger than football,” he added.

“Yes, football is our passion, but we are normal human beings as well, and maybe that’s something the world doesn’t always see,” the former Nottingham Forest striker concluded.

The PFA diploma is another step in Awoniyi's development away from the pitch, but at its heart is a promise made much earlier in his life to the man who insisted that football should never come at the expense of his education.