Corinthians and Arsenal legend Edu will be speaking on the ‘Life After the Final Whistle’ panel alongside Edwin van der Sar and Gaizka Mendieta at the Soccerex European Forum on 10-11 April, Manchester.

After experiencing a hugely successful career in Brazil, England and Spain, Edu became Director of Football at reigning World and South American club champions, Corinthians. His role is one of the most powerful and important in Brazilian football, being responsible for some of the country’s best players including Paulinho and Alexandre Pato, as well being an active guest at international club meetings governed by FIFA. He has shown himself to be a proven leader and an ambassador of fair play off the pitch for the club, speaking emotively about the fatal accident involving a Bolivian fan and a flare fired from Corinthian supporters amongst other things.

Edu started his career in the Campeonato Brasileiro with Brazilian giants Corinthians, where he won the 1998 and 1999 Brasileiro championships as well as the 2000 World Club Championship. He moved to Arsenal in 2001 where he enjoyed huge success winning two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and played a major role in the 2003/04 “Invincible” title-winning team. After signing for Valencia in 2005, where he won the Copa del Rey, he returned to Brazil in 2011 and back to his first club, Corinthians.

Soccerex Marketing Director David Wright said: “With a playing career that brought him success in England, Spain and of course Brazil, Edu has used these experiences to successfully make the transition from pitch to the boardroom at a massive club like Corinthians – the World Club Champions – and will be a wonderful addition to the European Forum”.

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 Gianni Infantino, Alexey Sorokin, Sir John Madejski, Sir Bobby Charlton and Gary Neville.

(AIFF Press Release)