Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed that a promise he made to his father has kept him committed to education throughout his professional football career, with the Nigeria striker recently completing his third qualification.
Awoniyi, 29, graduated from the Professional Footballers’ Association Business School after continuing his studies alongside a career that has taken him through clubs in England, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Coventry City striker already holds a degree in business management and another diploma, meaning his latest qualification is his third.
“I’ve got a degree in business management and another diploma, so this is my third qualification,” Awoniyi told BBC Sport.
However, the motivation goes beyond collecting certificates.
He said his father, Solomon, placed great importance on education and made it clear that football should not come at the expense of his studies.
“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,” Awoniyi said.
“That is what I’ve done and I am proud of it.”
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Awoniyi has had to balance that commitment with the demands and uncertainty of professional football.
His career has included major highs, but also difficult moments, most notably the serious injury he suffered in May 2025 after colliding with a goalpost during Nottingham Forest’s Premier League match against Leicester City.
He underwent surgery after rupturing his intestine and was placed in an induced coma as he recovered.
Experiences like that have reinforced Awoniyi’s belief that a footballer’s identity should extend beyond what happens on the pitch.
“There are a lot of things that are bigger than football,” he said.
“Yes, football is our passion but we are normal human beings as well and maybe that’s something the world doesn’t always see.”
That perspective has also shaped his approach to studying.
Awoniyi believes professional footballers can create time for education despite the intensity of their careers, particularly because their working day does not follow the conventional structure of a nine-to-five job.
“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.”
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The PFA Business School programme is structured to accommodate the schedules of professional players, with seminars arranged to minimise clashes with training and matches while allowing students to complete work around their football commitments.
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