Tottenham's Xavi Simons accepted into Harvard Business School

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FT Desk

Tottenham star Xavi Simons has revealed that he has been accepted into an online course at Harvard Business School.

The Dutchman is currently recuperating after suffering a serious knee injury during Spurs' 1–0 win over Wolves in April

Simons injured himself in the second half after a coming together with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno. He initially tried to get back up and continue playing, but he went down again clutching his right knee and was eventually carried off on a stretcher.

Scans later confirmed that Simons had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He underwent surgery in May and began a lengthy rehabilitation programme, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and the 2026 World Cup.

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He's making the most of his recovery period, though, after enrolling into Harvard's Crossover Into Business Program at the graduate business school of the Ivy League university.

"I'm going back to school," Simons wrote in a LinkedIn post.

"During my recovery, I've been trying to use my time in the best way possible. Football is still my main focus, but I also want to keep learning and improving away from the pitch.

"I'm happy to share that I've been accepted onto the Crossover Into Business Program at Harvard Business School. It's an online program where professional athletes learn more about business alongside HBS MBA students.

"I've always been interested in more than just football. I want to understand the business side of the game better, learn from people in different industries and keep developing as a person.

"Over the last few weeks, I've spent time on both the East Coast and West Coast in the U.S., meeting new people and seeing different ways of working. It's given me a lot of new ideas. It also makes this experience extra special because of Professor Anita Elberse. We first met during my time at FC Barcelona, and later again at Paris Saint-Germain. We've stayed in touch over the years, so it was great to see her again and visit Harvard while I was in Boston.

"Getting back on the pitch is still my number one priority. At the same time, I want to use this period to keep learning and invest in myself beyond football."

The Harvard Business School website says least 20 athletes from the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLS, NWSL and the UFC have enrolled in the Crossover Into Business course so far.

The extent of Simons' knee injury means that he likely won't make a return for Spurs until next year, so he'll have plenty of time for studying.