Nigeria and Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed that a promise he made to his father is the reason he has continued studying throughout his football career.
Awoniyi made the revelation in an interview with BBC Sport after graduating from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School.
The 29-year-old striker, who recently graduated from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School, said his latest qualification is his third, having previously obtained a degree in business management and another diploma.
“I’ve got a degree in business management and another diploma, so this is my third qualification,” he told BBC Sport.
Awoniyi said his father, Solomon, always placed strong emphasis on education, even while he was pursuing a career in 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.
“That is what I’ve done and I am proud of it,” he said.
Awoniyi, who joined Coventry City from Nottingham Forest this summer, has continued his studies alongside his professional football career.
He said the ups and downs he has experienced in football have also reinforced the importance of developing himself beyond the sport.
The striker suffered a serious injury in May 2025 after colliding with a goalpost during Nottingham Forest’s Premier League match against Leicester City. He was subsequently placed in a medically induced coma after rupturing his intestine.
Awoniyi said footballers have enough time to pursue other interests despite the demands of their careers.
“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.
“Of course it demands a lot from you, so it is all about how willing you are to do it,” he said.
The Nigeria international also stressed that football should not be seen as the entirety of a player’s life.
“I say to people 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.”
The PFA Business School course is designed to run alongside professional football, with seminars scheduled to minimise clashes with matches and training sessions while allowing players to study in their own time.
For now, Awoniyi remains focused on his football career, but his latest qualification adds to an academic journey he says began with a promise to his father.
