Footballers don't have a great reputation when it comes to their intelligence - but the stereotype has been kicked out. They obviously preferred being out on the pitch than in the classroom, but many of today's palyers end up leaving school with some rather impressive GCSE results.
Huw Jennings, academy director at Fulham and former youth development manager of the Premier League, explaining that clubs are now looking for a good education from their players, telling the Telegraph : "We can get rid of the old cliche of thick footballers. The value of a broad education is now appreciated by players, clubs and families.
"You can have football intelligence without academic intelligence, but modern footballers are required to take on a lot of information - about tactics, individual opponents and so on - and translate that into decision-making on the pitch. And it's good decision-making that sets the best players apart."
Here is a look at some current and former Premier League stars did in their exams.
Steven Gerrard
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Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard got one C, six Ds and two Es in his GCSE exams - but his leadership abilities shone through on the sports field.
"The thing I remember most about him was his ability as a leader on the field," said Gillian Morgan, Gerrard's former teacher at Huyton and Roby Primary, who also coached the midfielder in the school football team.
"I think he started playing for the school team when he was nine years old and even then Steven was always trying to help others.
"His dad always said he was born with a football at his feet and I still think that is true. Off the field he was very quiet and well behaved."
Following his GCSEs, the star took on a summer of work experience at Melwood, Liverpool's training ground - scrubbing the floors and pumping up balls.
It just goes to show - it's not where you start, but where you end up that counts.
Harry Maguire
According to Harry Maguire's former headteacher, the England and Manchester United star could have gone on to be an accountant if he hadn't been so skilled with the ball.
When he picked up his GCSE results, the paper showed a collection of A*s and As, well-earned after years of hard work.
Speaking to the Mirror, his former deputy headteacher, Sue Cain, described him as a "remarkable" pupil who always worked "very hard".
"He was never in any trouble and he had such a good attitude. I taught all three Maguire brothers, they all absolutely loved their sport," she said.
"Harry was such a modest lad.
"He had his head screwed on even at that age. He did everything you asked him to do and he never questioned why. He was popular, and he was huge.
"Even at a young age he was very tall but he has filled out since then too. He towered over the other teams. He got A* and A grades in his GCSEs.
"I think he would have gone on to study business or maths and probably would have been an accountant. He was very capable academically."
Marcus Rashford
The England and United striker is no stranger to juggling his football career with other things, impressively taking on the government's free school meals policy while continuing to score goal after goal.
Signing with Manchester United young, he continued his studies around his time on the pitch, and would go into school on a Monday morning after becoming an Old Trafford hero at the weekend.
He left school with nine GCSEs and stayed to do his A Levels.
A source told The Sun: "Marcus is a very level-headed guy and he knows his education is really important.
"He could have scored 10 goals against Arsenal and it still wouldn’t have stopped him coming back into school and working hard."
Frank Lampard
Before he became Chelsea's all-time record goalscorer (and short-lived manager), Lampard was a exams whizz.
The club legend earned 12 GCSEs at A or A*, including an A in Latin, while studying at Brentwood School in Essex.
His intelligence was put to the test during his playing days at Stamford Bridge - with his IQ score reported to be "well above 150".
For reference, Albert Einstein's IQ was 160 and the result puts Lampard in the world's top 0.5%.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal favourite Saka worked hard at school and left with the grades to prove it - four A*s and three As.
Writing about his time at school for the Arsenal website, he said: "My mum and dad always encouraged me. They never stopped me from playing football, they just wanted to see a balance and that I was also interested in my education.
"I actually got quite good grades, so they were pleased on that side. I got four A*s and three As in my GCSEs, so I did quite well at school. My favourite lesson was obviously PE, but I also liked business studies a lot, I got an A* in that."
Perhaps his motivation for working hard is that he says he never really believed he was going to make it. It wasn't until he signed his first professional contract when he was 17 that he realised it was actually happening.
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