Matildas star Hayley Raso is among the global football superstars currently completing the inaugural FIFA Players Executive Programme, which kicked off earlier this year.
The course is designed to help players make the transition once they have retired from playing and provide the opportunity for them to stay involved in a new capacity within the game.
Raso is among the 70 players, coaches and former players from across the globe who enrolled in the inaugural program, joining the likes of Brazil’s Casemiro, David Luiz and Thiago Silva, former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara and Italy’s Elena Linari.
“We have discussions, we talk to people within the game. There’s different tournaments and places you can go to as well to actually do more hands on experiences,” Raso told pfa.net.au about the course during Matildas camp in Perth last week.
“But for me, it’s just been online classes because there’s people from all over the world. We’re basically sharing our insights, connecting with important people and trying to create change and leave a legacy within the game.
“I found out about it and applied and then we had to do interviews. There were a lot of applicants and then they selected people from there.
“It was pretty exciting to get into and so far the course has been really good. We’ve spoken to some heads of football clubs from different teams and connected with a lot of people all over the world within football and it’s been very interesting so far.”
Raso said the program has helped her see different parts of the game, particularly as she looks at where she can look to potentially stay involved in football after her retirement.
“You see more of the background stuff that happens, what happens within FIFA, within clubs directly and that’s been really cool to see,” she said.
“I think what’s important about it is I am looking at my post football career, so to be able to get into something like this and meet a lot of people in a similar situation and discuss football from a different aspect, or ways that you can stay involved within the game after football, or leaving a legacy or how to change the game in different things like that.
“I think for me where am I at in my career now, that’s important too.”
The PFA are funding Raso’s participation in the program as part of their commitment to help members with outside of football interests and the eventual transition into retirement.
“I think that’s hugely important,” Raso said about the importance of preparing for life after retirement.
“When I first came out of school, I studied paramedicine, got into football and football took over from there, but you get to a point where you do need to think and focus on what will happen when your football career is over.
“It’s about being able to set up something or do something while you’re playing football or focus on something that you’re interested in because once you’re not playing anymore.
“Personally for me staying in football is good, and I think a lot of people kind of feel like that too. So to hopefully be able to stay in the game or find something that you’re interested in to do after football.”
Featured image: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
