Footballers' GCSE results - Gerrard, Rashford, Mary Earps and A* Saka
Footballers sometimes face stereotypes when it comes to academic intelligence. While it no doubt takes hard work and dedication to become a footballer, it's not necessarily learned inside a classroom. But many of today's players actually end up leaving school with some seriously impressive GCSE results.
According to Huw Jennings, academy director at Fulham and former youth development manager of the Premier League, clubs are now looking for a good education from their players, as he told the Telegraph: "We can get rid of the old cliché of thick footballers. The value of a broad education is now appreciated by players, clubs and families. You can have football intelligence without academic intelligence, but modern footballers are required to take on a lot of information - about tactics, individual opponents and so on - and translate that into decision-making on the pitch. And it's good decision-making that sets the best players apart." Here we take a look at some of the current and former Premier League stars and how they did in their school exams.
Mary Earps
Mary Earps loved football from an early ageMary Earps, who grew up in West Bridgford in Nottingham, is not only the best goalkeeper in the world, having won the Golden Glove award at the Women's World Cup, but she's had a remarkable career so far.
While at school, her mum and dad would encourage her to get involved in all sorts of sports - from dancing to judo - and of course football. Speaking to the FA blog of West Bridgford Colts, Mary said: "Football really helped me at school. It helped me communicate with people better and gave me the confidence to disagree with people if we were having a debate in class."
But her talent doesn't just stretch to the pitch - but off it too. According to Mary's LinkedIn profile, she received an A* in Additional Science, A in English, English Literature, French, ICT and Science, B in Mathematics, Spanish, Geography and Religious Studies and a C in history.
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After starting at West Bridford Colts, Mary moved on to Leicester City aged 14 - but the pay discrepancy in women's football meant her spot on the team wasn't enough to pay the bills, so she eventually decided to go to Loughborough University before returning to football. After graduating, she joined England's senior squad as the fourth keeper in 2017. Next she went to the Bundesliga - followed by Manchester United.
Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard did well in his exams (Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)Al-Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard got one C, six Ds and two Es in his GCSE exams - but his leadership abilities shone through on the sports field. "The thing I remember most about him was his ability as a leader on the field," said Gillian Morgan, Gerrard's former teacher at Huyton and Roby Primary, who also coached the midfielder in the school football team.
"I think he started playing for the school team when he was nine years old and even then Steven was always trying to help others. His dad always said he was born with a football at his feet and I still think that is true. Off the field he was very quiet and well behaved."
Following his GCSEs, the star took on a summer of work experience at Melwood, Liverpool's training ground - scrubbing the floors and pumping up balls. It just goes to show - it's not where you start, but where you end up that counts.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire being presented with a house award at St Marys Catholic School (Internet Unknown)
Harry Maguire with his school athletics team (St Marys Catholic School / SWNS)According to Harry Maguire's former headteacher, the England and Manchester United star could have gone on to be an accountant if he hadn't been so skilled with the ball. When he picked up his GCSE results, the paper showed a collection of A*s and As, well-earned after years of hard work.
Speaking to the Mirror, his former deputy headteacher, Sue Cain, described him as a "remarkable" pupil who always worked "very hard". "He was never in any trouble and he had such a good attitude. I taught all three Maguire brothers, they all absolutely loved their sport," she said.
"Harry was such a modest lad. He had his head screwed on even at that age. He did everything you asked him to do and he never questioned why. He was popular, and he was huge. Even at a young age he was very tall but he has filled out since then too. He towered over the other teams. He got A* and A grades in his GCSEs. I think he would have gone on to study business or maths and probably would have been an accountant. He was very capable academically."
Marcus Rashford
Rashford stayed on at school to do his A LevelsThe England and United striker is no stranger to juggling his football career with other priorities, impressively taking on the government's free school meals policy while continuing to score goal after goal. Signing with Manchester United young, he continued his studies around his time on the pitch, and would go into school on a Monday morning after becoming an Old Trafford hero at the weekend.
He left school with nine GCSEs and stayed to do his A Levels. A source told The Sun: "Marcus is a very level-headed guy and he knows his education is really important. He could have scored 10 goals against Arsenal and it still wouldn't have stopped him coming back into school and working hard."
Frank Lampard
Lampard in his school uniform aged nine (Mirror Syndication International)
Frank Lampard is one of the smartest men in football (EPA)Before he became Chelsea's all-time record goalscorer (and short-lived manager), Frank Lampard was an exams whizz. The club legend earned 12 GCSEs at A or A*, including an A in Latin, while studying at Brentwood School in Essex.
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His intelligence was put to the test during his playing days at Stamford Bridge - with his IQ score reported to be "well above 150". For reference, Albert Einstein's IQ was 160 and the result puts Lampard in the world's top 0.5%.
Bukayo Saka
Saka got great grades at school (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Arsenal favourite Saka worked hard at school and left with the grades to prove it - four A*s and three As. Writing about his time at school for the Arsenal website, he said: "My mum and dad always encouraged me. They never stopped me from playing football, they just wanted to see a balance and that I was also interested in my education.
"I actually got quite good grades, so they were pleased on that side. I got four A*s and three As in my GCSEs, so I did quite well at school. My favourite lesson was obviously PE, but I also liked business studies a lot, I got an A* in that."
Perhaps his motivation for working hard is that he says he never really believed he was going to make it. It wasn't until he signed his first professional contract when he was 17 that he realised it was actually happening.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane meets David Beckham at The David Beckham Academy in 2005 (Getty)Kane went to Chingford Foundation School - the same as David Beckham - where he impressed teachers both in the classroom and on the sports pitch. Former head of PE Mark Leadon, who is now assistant headteacher at the school, said Kane was a "model student" who made sure he studied hard despite his obvious football talent.
He told the East London Guardian: "He was conscientious, behaved himself and was a good all-round sportsman. He never saw himself as a superstar, he just got on with it. One of the things that stand out now at Tottenham is his work ethic. He was exactly the same here and always gave 100 per cent."
While it's not clear what results Kane got, Leadon said he passed his exams. The former Tottenham striker, who has now signed for FC Bayern, then left school shortly after.
Wayne Rooney
Rooney reportedly hired a tutor to help help study for his GCSEs (Mercury Press)Of course, there's no need to panic if you don't get the grades you hoped for - just ask exam-loathing celebs like Lord Sugar or Jeremy Clarkson. Football lovers can take inspiration from Wayne Rooney, who famously shut down a fan mocking his grammar.
After beating Hull City 3-2 in 2017, he took to Twitter to say: "Have to say our fans tonight was unbelievable." When a snarky social media user remarked, "Does Rooney have any GCSEs seriously?", the then-Man United star simply replied: "No I don't" with two sunglasses emojis.
Having become United's all-time record goal scorer that very same week, it was a perfect way to show there's more than one route to the top. Having broken through into Everton's first team when he was just 16, the star was too busy focusing on his career to take exams at the time. He reportedly hired a tutor to help him study for his English and maths GCSEs later in 2007.
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