<p>“Nine out of ten Brazilian kids dream of becoming professional soccer players,” says Brazilian-born <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-sports-business.html">MS in Sports Business</a> student Gustavo Giusti. “When I was nine, my country won the World Cup. By thirteen, I was playing soccer in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Still, it never crossed my mind that sports could be more than a hobby.”</p> <p>As an adult, Giusti entered the world of consulting. But after several years, he found himself stuck. His friends were moving forward—new jobs, new cities, new lives—while he felt frozen in place. Several years passed. Until one conversation changed everything. “Someone asked what I actually enjoyed doing in my free time. I said I spent hours reading about soccer and analyzing matches. She looked at me and said, ‘Then why don’t you do that?’ It felt like the most obvious thing in the world.”</p>

<p>So in his early thirties, Giusti applied to the NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Center for Global Sport School to pursue his MS in Sports Business. He dove in headfirst, interning with a newly formed women’s soccer team and becoming president of the Graduate Sports Business Society.</p> <p>“Now I talk with the biggest clubs in New York to bring opportunities to my classmates. Seriously—who would have thought 14 months ago that I would have a missed call from the Yankees and an email from the Rangers in my inbox?” reflects Giusti.</p> <p>One of Giusti’s favorite parts of his NYU SPS journey thus far has been the friendships cultivated with classmates from over fifteen countries. “I never imagined my Thursday nights would be spent eating wings while Canadians taught me hockey, or drinking beer with a Nigerian and a South Korean debating soccer for hours—or that one of my closest friends would be a former professional table tennis player from India. But that’s exactly what happened.”</p> <p>As Giusti works toward completing his master’s degree, his words serve as inspiration to others contemplating pursuing their passions. “If you’re not happy, don’t be afraid to move,” he shares. “In sports, no one wins alone—even in tennis, there’s a team behind every player. So find your team, get involved, and remember: the most exciting, unforgettable games are the ones decided in the final second.”</p>