Xavi Simons joins Harvard business programme during knee injury recovery

Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons has enrolled in Harvard's Crossover into Business programme while continuing his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury, BBC Sport reported on 8 October. The Netherlands international announced the move on LinkedIn, explaining that he wanted to develop his understanding of business alongside his recovery, while keeping his return to football as his main priority.

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Simons, 23, has been out of action since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in April. The injury prevented him from playing at the World Cup. He recently travelled to the United States to advance his physical rehabilitation and also visited Harvard's campus in Boston, according to the BBC. He scored five goals for Tottenham last season.

The programme is designed specifically for professional athletes who want to build commercial knowledge. Delivered online, it matches participants with Harvard MBA students who act as mentors, using practical case studies and work on enterprise management. Simons has joined that athlete-focused programme, rather than announcing that he is stepping away from his playing career to pursue full-time study.

In his LinkedIn announcement, Simons said the enforced break had prompted him to make productive use of his time. He described an interest in understanding the business side of football, learning from people working in other industries and continuing his personal development. His comments presented the course as an additional use of his recovery period, with getting back on the pitch remaining his leading objective.

The Crossover into Business programme has previously attracted athletes from the NBA, NFL and tennis. Among its past participants is Victoria Azarenka, the former world number one and two-time major champion. The mentoring format places Simons in a programme already used by established competitors from several different professional sports.

Other football figures have taken different routes into Harvard. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga attended a short course on entertainment, media and sports business in June after missing selection for France's World Cup squad. Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson took a long-term teaching position at the university in 2014 following his retirement.