Former soccer player Tarantini became on Tuesday the first professional athlete in Portugal to receive a doctorate.
The 38-year-old former midfielder, who rose to fame with his service at Rio Ava and who, after retiring in 2021, took up the position of assistant coach of the Famalicao team from Liga Bwin, saw his dissertation presented at the University of the Interior of Beira in Covilhã, which should be unanimously approved by a panel of six professors.
Tarantini, who graduated in 2006 and received his master’s degree in 2014, has spent the past five years working on his doctoral thesis on “The sporting profile of Portuguese football players over the past 50 years.”
The research work, with three articles already published in international specialized journals, is devoted to the development of football players’ careers and planning for their completion in accordance with the project he created on this topic, called “A Minha Causa”. “I made sure that there was no record of the Portuguese footballer’s career and sought to gain the tools and knowledge to create a research project that would allow me to help others,” Tarantini began by explaining to the Lusa agency.
The scientific work currently presented by Tarantini, supported by quantitative data, concerns “the career performance of athletes, as well as the competitive level and age at which they leave the sport.”
“By being aware of the sporting identity and commitment that a player puts into their profession, we can test the influence and awareness put into career planning and career preparation so that the transition is ultimately made better. “, – added the former athlete.
The former midfielder-turned-coach recalls that his dedication to his studies, especially his university studies, which he started while he was still a player, was aimed at giving him “the tools to work in other areas in case he will not succeed in sports. “.
“I always wanted to add something more to my career and show that in football you can have a professional career and still learn. Of course, it was not easy, I went through some personal hardships, but I felt that thanks to academic knowledge, I would be more prepared for any scenario in the future, ”he shared.
Tarantini says that at the moment he has no doubts that he wants to continue and develop his coaching career, which began in 2021 as a member of the Famalicao technical team, but he also feels ready to take on other challenges, namely in management. where he gained experience as Vice President of the Players’ Union, in charge of the education portfolio.
National football’s new “doctor” admits to being a pioneer in this academic field and hopes that his example of dedication to his studies can “inspire new generations”.
“A few years ago I didn’t feel good about this label, but now I understand that I left a mark on Portuguese football. I hope the players will think and plan their end of their career. “, Tarantini concluded.
