FIFA MASTER ALUMNI - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - ERICA PUPPO

Erica Puppo

Current Position: Policy Advisor and Strategic Project Coordinator at FIFPRO

Year of graduation: 2019 (19th edition)

Nationality: Brazilian and Italian

What does your current role involve?

I work as Policy Advisor and Strategic Project Coordinator at FIFPRO. I am based within the Global Policy and Strategic Relations team. As the international representative of professional football players, everything we do at FIFPRO is driven by the workforce needs and priorities of footballers. This means that we work across a wide range of topics, covering everything from employment conditions, player health and governance, to player activism, diversity, equality and inclusion. 

In the Global Policy team, we work on the development, implementation and delivery of policies that protect and support players, making sure that their voices are heard. I am currently working on various strategic projects, both with external partners and our member unions, with a particular focus on human rights, anti-discrimination and player workloads. As you can imagine, no two weeks are the same and it is impossible to get bored at FIFPRO.

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

From an academic standpoint, the FIFA Master course helped me to acquire a holistic understanding of the sports industry. It pushed me to go beyond my immediate area of focus and interest. As a result, it opened my mind and exposed me to aspects of the industry that I would have never encountered otherwise.

If I had to pick the one aspect that I cherish and that has helped me the most, I would have to say it is the relationships I built with my classmates, professors and within the alumni association. Just being in a classroom where more than twenty nationalities are represented is a daily learning experience. Gaining knowledge through the perspectives of individuals who have walked very different paths is an invaluable opportunity for both personal and professional growth. It is also an incredible asset. Since graduation, there hasn't been a single day that I haven't either talked, met or worked with someone who is from the FIFA Master network.

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

My advice to future students would be to make the most of your FIFA Master studies by being fully engaged with each and every day. Especially towards the end of the course, it is easy to get so hung up on exams or job interviews that you forget that the FIFA Master itself is one of the most uniquely enriching experiences you can have. So, I would advise students to be fully aware of that and make the absolute most out of your time with your classmates and professors. 

Ultimately, my advice is to enjoy the journey!

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 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).