Chiellini urges players to think careers after football

The 34-year-old has two degrees - in economics and business administration - which is uncommon among footballers. In fact, only 13% of footballers have a higher education compared to 53% of men in Europe. 

Chiellini remarked: "At 35 your career is more or less finished, then you have the rest of your life in front of you.

"As a footballer, you need to start thinking about life after football at the beginning of your career, not at the end.

"Studying helped me relieve some of the pressure in the world of football, and kept my brain sharp. If you are not sharp in matches you can't make the quick decisions that you need to reach the top level in football."

FIFPro and co-funders the EU's Erasmus+ Program are leading the 'Mind the Gap' campaign, which Chiellini is championing. 

The Italian added: "Only a few players manage to find a job in football. There's also the risk of depression, and there are many former players with financial problems because they have not thought about what they are going to do. They have not opened their minds by studying.

"Each footballer has different tastes, but the important thing is to do something."