ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Imaad Khan made history this month when he became the first person from his country to secure a master’s degree in football coaching and management from the prestigious Real Madrid Graduate School.
Khan, a skilled football player himself since the age of ten, was on the national team in 2016 during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka. He also runs a sports club and football academy in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
In 2022, he became the first Pakistani to enroll for a master’s degree in football coaching and management from the Real Madrid Graduate School.
“This is how graduation at Real Madrid looks like,” Khan wrote as caption on Instagram with a video of his graduation ceremony posted on Wednesday.
In the video, Khan can be seen attending his graduation ceremony at a football stadium in Spain as his name is called out.
Khan was accepted to the Real Madrid Graduate School in 2016 but could not enroll as he needed financial aid. He was later sponsored by the Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation which helped him enroll in 2022.
“BARD Foundation proudly celebrates Imaad Khan’s historic achievement as the first Pakistani to earn a Master’s in Football Coaching and Management with distinction from the Real Madrid Graduate School,” BARD Foundation wrote on social media.
Real Madrid is one of the most popular and renowned football clubs in the world. Home to one of the most legendary and iconic football players, the club enjoys massive popularity in Pakistan, where cricket is considered the most popular sport.
Speaking to Arab News in 2022, Khan said he wanted to work with Pakistan’s young football talent.
“While I play for Pakistan football, I would like to work for under-18 and under-16,” he had said.
