I enjoyed six marvellous years at Bayern winning many titles, but the fact is I don't plan on playing in Germany ever again.

You can't win any games in the Spanish league by giving only seventy or eighty per cent. You always have to step on the gas.

Sure, it's nice to get appreciation from the outside. But generally, I don't think personal accolades are appropriate in football.

I like to create chances, to shoot when I play farther forward, but I also like playing deeper, as you have more time on the ball.

It's important to get a good start at a top club like Real. When things are going badly, you can overcome it quickly at a top club.

Since I took the decision at the age of 16 to join Bayern, I have been proud every single day to have been part of this amazing club.

My decision was to go abroad, especially after winning the World Cup, and to go to Madrid was perfect. I was 100 per cent convinced of it.

When you have lived through something as magical as the 2014 World Cup final, you want to relive that experience as many times as possible.

Ancelotti speaks a lot with his players, creates a very close-knit atmosphere, and the Real Madrid dressing room was very sad when he left.

For those of us playing in a foreign league, it's always nice to spend a few days with family and friends who we don't get to see every day.

I would not swap the World Cup title for any accolade. But I could imagine that quite a few would swap every accolade for a World Cup title.

If you have the quality, you can only improve as a young player through match practice. That seems obvious, and it's proven to be true in my case.

There will always be different opinions. Some might argue you should retire after a big success and others that the best time is after a big defeat.

I am of the opinion that the burden of playing games is much too high, especially for international players that also play domestically with their clubs.

When you have been working so hard to reach a specific goal and then you realise that ambition, it's not always easy to raise yourself for another objective.

During the season, the teams play every third day. That's a huge workload with some long journeys. I think, in football, we need more time to rest and recover.

Ancelotti is internationally oriented and speaks English. Why would he not be successful with a club like Bayern? He would be a good fit for a Bundesliga side.

In my opinion, it's only logical that you have to be on the pitch and playing as often as possible to develop further. That's just an absolute basic requirement.

In England and Germany, perhaps, there is more of a focus on the physical side of the game, in breaking down the opposition's play, especially against the lower placed sides.

I celebrated great successes alongside exceptional players like Philipp Lahm, Thomas Mueller, Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose, Luca Toni, and Franck Ribery.

Ancelotti would be an interesting option for Bundesliga clubs. Of course, there would only be one or two clubs in Germany that would be an option for a world-class coach like him.

You always work toward a big goal. Once you achieved it, it's not that easy. You need a few days. Like winning the Champions League - season over, goal achieved. The pressure drops.

From the level, both leagues are equal. You'll win no game easily. It's always a lot of work. This is true in La Liga as well as in the Bundesliga. You must always give all you have.

The Spanish league has better individual players than the German league. However, in Germany, there are more teams that are uncomfortable to play against because they are more aggressive than teams in Spain.

I am very proud to be at Madrid. It's something very special, and also to step out into the Bernabeu wearing the Madrid shirt for the first time was a fantastic feeling. The fans gave me a wonderful reception.

Zidane transmits a very clear idea to the players. He doesn't need to give a 20 minute motivational talk, he doesn't need it. With his presence alone, he achieves what he wants - his personality is synonymous with success.

The best example is the NBA, with high intensity and long breaks. During the season, the NBA teams play every three days. That's a lot, and they also travel far. But from the end of May until October, they have their break.

Before leaving, I was seen as a good player, perhaps as a very good player, but as one of the many players that Bayern had. But if you play as a Real footballer, you get even more attention. Maybe that part from the fans I do not like so much.

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