Hiroki Sakai, 36, returns to study while captaining Auckland FC

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·14 August 2026

Hiroki Sakai, 36, returns to study while captaining Auckland FC

Former Marseille defender Hiroki Sakai, 36, has returned to study while continuing his playing career as Auckland FC captain.

Auckland University of Technology said in a post that he has begun a part-time MBA at its Faculty of Business, Economics and Law alongside football.

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His presence on campus has surprised fellow students, who have been filming the unusual new classmate.

Sakai left Olympique de Marseille in 2021 after 185 matches, then joined the Urawa Reds in his homeland before moving to New Zealand in 2024. He has 74 caps for Japan.

With his contract in Auckland up next summer, the defender appears to be considering the end of his career.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”

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Hiroki Sakai, 36, returns to study while captaining Auckland FC | OneFootball

Hiroki Sakai, 36, returns to study while captaining Auckland FC

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