FIFA Master Alumni - Where are they now? - Andre Zanotta
Andre Zanotta
Current position: Chief Soccer Officer & Sporting Director at FC Dallas
Year of graduation: 2010 (10th Edition)
Nationality: Brazilian / Italian
What does your current role involve?
Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to work across several areas of the football industry, including player recruitment, talent identification, club strategy, contract negotiations and overall sporting operations. My experience has allowed me to work closely with players, agents, coaches, ownership groups and front office executives while developing a strong understanding of both the sporting and business sides of the game. Throughout that journey, I have always been passionate about building competitive environments, developing talent and helping organizations create long-term sustainable success.
In my current role as Sporting Director at FC Dallas, I oversee the club’s sporting operations and help guide the overall football strategy of the organization. My responsibilities include roster construction, player recruitment, contract management, collaboration with the coaching staff and supporting the continued development of our academy-to-first-team pathway, which has long been a core identity of the club. A major part of my role is balancing short-term competitiveness with long-term planning, while ensuring alignment across all levels of the organization as we continue to grow both on and off the field.
Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?
The FIFA Master had a major impact on both my professional and personal development. One of the most valuable aspects of the programme was the truly international environment and the opportunity to learn alongside classmates from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. The relationships and network built during the year have remained incredibly important throughout my career, and many of those connections continue to be part of my professional life today. Academically, the multidisciplinary structure of the programme gave me a much broader understanding of the global sports industry. The FIFA Master course combination of management, law and humanities of sport provided a well-rounded academic perspective which has been extremely valuable in leadership and decision-making roles ever since I graduated.
What advice would you give to future students?
My advice to future students would be to fully embrace every aspect of the experience, both inside and outside the classroom. The FIFA Master is unique because of the diversity of the people, perspectives and experiences that come together during the programme. Be curious, ask questions, build relationships and take advantage of the opportunity to learn from classmates, professors and industry professionals from around the world.
I would also encourage students to remain open-minded about where their careers may lead. The sports industry is constantly evolving and some of the best opportunities can come from unexpected places. The programme provides an outstanding foundation, but long-term success also comes from being adaptable, working hard, maintaining strong relationships and staying passionate about the industry. The network and friendships built during the FIFA Master can become one of the most valuable parts of the experience long after graduation.
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FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked Europe's No.1 course a record 14 times by SportBusiness and No.2 in the world.
Organised by CIES in cooperation with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
