FIFA MASTER ALUMNI - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - ALYSSA LAGONIA

Alyssa Lagonia

Current Position: UEFA Women’s Football Assistant and midfielder for Servette FCCF

Year of graduation: 2019 (19^th edition)

Nationality: Canadian/Italian 

What does your current role involve?

Before I enrolled on the FIFA Master course I had played eight years of professional football across Europe in four different top league teams. I retired to pursue my off-field career and as a first step, take part in the FIFA Master. However, I soon realised I wasn't ready to hang up my boots. After graduation I searched for a dual career, working in and playing the sport I love.  I first arrived in Geneva to sign a contract with the semi-professional club, Servette FCCF, competing for a top spot in the Swiss Women’s Super League. Due to a successful first season before the pandemic hit, we qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League where we took on Atletico Madrid in the Round of 32. 

Soon after I signed for Servette I was hired by UEFA to work in the Women’s Football Unit, assisting on work related to a variety of aspects of women’s football across Europe and within our organisation.  The majority of the work I do focuses on the development of the women’s game across our fifty-five National Associations, helping to change the landscape of women’s football. We work on everything from regional projects to pan-European programmes, and grassroots to professionalisation. 

Which aspects of the FIFA Master course have helped you most in your career?

Although I began the FIFA Master with years of first-hand sport experience, the knowledge I was able to acquire amongst my peers and through the course brought significant value to my development and understanding of the inner workings of the sports industry. This is indeed what I was searching for. Not only did I learn valuable lessons in critical thinking across the three modules in Leicester, Milan and Neuchâtel, but I was also able to grow and evolve as a person too. It has opened doors for me within the industry and has allowed me to take advantage of the incredible network of FIFA Master Alumni. 

What advice would you give to future students on the course?

I would say you should always stay open-minded and learn from those around you. Some of the most valuable take-aways from the Master are from your fellow classmates, so be sure to listen to, engage with and respect everyone. Additionally, it goes by way too fast so try and soak in every moment, have fun and enjoy the ride. This unique programme offers a once in a lifetime experience and when looking back, you realise you will probably never do something like that again. So don’t get too caught up in the little things and try to make the most of every experience. 

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).