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Life after the final whistle – a player’s perspective

Soccerex

European football legends Edwin van der Sar and Gaizka Mendieta will both be speaking on the ‘Life after the final whistle’ panel at the Soccerex European Forum, on 10-11 April, Manchester.

After experiencing successful careers in Europe’s top leagues, Edwin and Gaizka will discuss the various options available to them once they retired, and the different paths players can follow including coaching, media work and senior management roles within clubs.

Van der Sar is regarded as one of the greatest keepers of all time, playing for Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United, winning multiple titles including four Eredivisie championships, four Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. In 2011, he joined the Ajax board as Marketing Director alongside a number of former Ajax and Dutch legends, aiming at expanding the Ajax brand both nationally and internationally.

Mendieta enjoyed a glittering career at some of Europe’s top clubs including Valencia, Lazio, Barcelona and Middlesbrough, as well as gaining 40 caps for Spain. He was one of the most sought-after players at the turn of the millennium, winning UEFA Club Midfielder of the year two years running in 2000 and 2001. Since his retirement, Mendieta has taken a step into the media working for Sky Sports as a pundit for Spanish football and a regular guest on Revista De La Liga.

Van der Sar commented “I’m excited about returning to Manchester, and to be speaking at Soccerex. I hope my experiences can provide an interesting debate on a subject which is very relevant and affects thousands of professionals every year.”

The Soccerex European Forum is a two-day event which attracts over 1,600 delegates from the elite of Europe’s football industry to come together to debate, network and do business. This year’s agenda setting conference programme will tackle the key issues shaping European football, including fan engagement, media rights, match fixing, discrimination and addiction, life after football, social media and a selection of special 1-2-1 sessions with the game’s biggest names.

(Soccerex Press Release)