Xavi Simons may be sidelined with a serious knee injury, but the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is making sure his time away from the pitch does not go to waste. The 23-year-old has enrolled in a business course at Harvard University while recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.The Netherlands international has been accepted onto Harvard Business School's Crossover into Business programme, a semester-long online course designed to help professional athletes prepare for business opportunities during and after their sporting careers.##TWITTER_<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Xavi Simons has been enrolled into the Crossover into Business program at Harvard Business School while recovering form his ACL injury. https://t.co/FZm9S9VwRK</p>— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) <a href="https://x.com/TouchlineX/status/2108328047221035155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>##Participants are also mentored by the university's master's students."During my recovery, I've been trying to use my time in the best way possible," Simons wrote on LinkedIn. "Football is still my main focus, but I also want to keep learning and improving away from the pitch."Simons said he had always been interested in the business side of the game and wanted to learn from people working in different industries."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," he added.##LINKED_NEWS_64770##Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is one of the world's most prestigious universities and a member of the Ivy League. Simons recently spent time in the United States, visiting the university while staying in Boston, where he also met Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Boston Bruins captain David Pastrnak.His studies come during a difficult period in his football career. Simons joined Tottenham from RB Leipzig last year in a deal worth €60 million and made 43 appearances in his debut season, scoring six goals and providing seven assists.22.00: (3.30) Coventry (3.50) Newcastle (2.15)However, his campaign ended prematurely after he injured his knee during Tottenham's 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 25. He was carried off on a stretcher, with subsequent examinations confirming an ACL tear that ruled him out for the remainder of the season and the Netherlands' World Cup campaign.With rehabilitation now taking centre stage, Simons is determined to make progress off the pitch as well as work towards his return. For the Tottenham midfielder, the road back to football also offers an opportunity to prepare for the life that awaits when his playing days eventually come to an end.
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