Bernard Parker clears the air on his new qualification

Kaizer Chiefs' Bernard Parker has cleared the air on his new qualification, after fans speculating had social media in meltdown mode.

Speaking on SAfm, Parker confirmed he recently completed a sports marketing diploma.

“It wasn’t a degree, it was just a higher certificate in sports marketing at Boston College that I obtained,” he said. 

“It's my second diploma. My first one was sports management and I'm currently doing sports psychology and life coaching.”

Asked how he balances his studies, being a father and football, the star said he hits the books at 3am after putting his children to bed at 8pm.  

“The balance I keep is that I go to bed with my children at 8pm and then I get up at 3am, and I take those three hours with my books until 6am. And then at 6am, I wake my kids up, prepare them for school, take them to school and then go to training.”

Parker joins a long list of South African professional players who are already looking beyond football by going back to school. 

In 2019, he said education was the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world.

“I look forward to studying further,” Parker told the Amakhosi website.

“It is important to gain knowledge. It makes it interesting and mind-blowing to link knowledge with what you do in practice on the pitch. Key to all is a never-give-up spirit.”