Juventus star Giorgio Chiellini picked up his Masters degree in business administration on Friday.

The Juve centre-back is obviously getting prepared for life after football and attended the awards ceremony at the University of Turin – one of the most prestigious educational organisations in Italy – to be awarded with his degree.

Chiellini is certainly not the first footballer to combine a busy life in the game with studying off the pitch.

We’ve put together the other footballers who have proven they have brains away from the game too!

EDWIN VAN DER SAR

After hanging up his boots in 2011, the legendary Manchester United stopper completed an International Master of Sport Management degree before becoming Director General at Ajax.

SHAKA HISLOP

We have two goalkeepers in our XI! But, the one-time Toon netminder thoroughly deserves his place! After the conclusion of his playing career in 2007, which also included stints at West Ham United and Portsmouth, Hislop graduated from Washington’s Howard University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He has since worked for ESPN in the US.

ARJAN DE ZEEUW

The cult centre-back, who often showed intelligence on the pitch during his Wigan and Portsmouth days in the Premier League, obtained a medical science degree in Holland.

SLAVEN BILIC

The West Ham boss can partner both Chiellini and De Zeeuw in defence and he is owner of a law degree. The Croatian has also been known to read American psychology.

DAVID WEATHERALL

The former Leeds and Bradford defender completed a chemistry degree at Sheffield University in 1992 and has remained in football coaching after retiring in 2008.

SOCRATES

The legendary Brazil captain earned the nickname ‘Doctor Socrates’ given he is a qualified doctor and also owns a PHD degree in philosophy. Clever clogs.

DUNCAN WATMORE

The Black Cats midfield star received a first-class degree in economics and business management from Newcastle University in late 2015. Talk about mixing it with the rivals!

JUAN MATA

The Manchester United playmaker regularly shows his intellect through his social media channels and actually studied journalism at Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, as well as taking on a sports science, physical education and marketing degree course when he was plying his trade at Chelsea.

STEVE COPPELL

He may be known more for his affiliation with Crystal Palace but Coppell used his time as a player at Manchester United in the late 1970s and early 1980s wisely. He completed an economics degree at Liverpool University while playing for the red Devils (hopefully he didn’t tell United fans this at the time).

IAIN DOWIE

The much travelled former striker turned TV pundit has an aeronautical engineering qualification from the University of Hertfordshire.