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From a pretty early age, my mother realized that I was a little bit more gifted and talented than my own age group. So, she moved me over to play with the boys' travel soccer team when I was about 11 years old.
You need to be very critical of yourself. There are a few very good managers who can make players better individually. Most managers think about the team process - and so you have to improve things on your own.
It did surprise me to be made captain. The obvious issue is my English. It's not that great, so communicating with players is not always easy. But I am thriving on the responsibility, both on and off the field.
I play to the best of my abilities and am thankful for the many opportunities and amazing success He has given me. Through it all, I want to do right, not make mistakes, and live a life that is pleasing to Him.
We have got too many kids around the house to have a romantic meal at home. But Danielle is a fantastic cook. She does a brilliant lasagne, great roasts and a great chilli dish. She knows the way to my heart.
Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi is the best they have seen. He plays a game with which we are not familiar.
Politics is always a difficult thing to talk about because, like football, the views are radical. You think this way; that guy thinks the opposite way. It is, like, nearly a fight, and feelings are very strong.
Whether I'm flying two hours or across the country, I always make sure to have a packet of almonds with me, an apple, and a Luna bar. I carry those around on a daily basis in case I'm stuck somewhere or hungry.
I have a problem with players who don't take the loss personally. At a professional level you should - it's our job, it's our livelihood, it's who we are at this level. Every loss should be taken that personal.
Every trainer talks about movement, about running a lot. I say don't run so much. Football is a game you play with your brain. You have to be in the right place at the right moment, not too early, not too late.
We coaches have to learn how to deal with that: How do I get to each one best - with a talk, with video analysis? And what sort of tone? We need our own coaches for that. The sports psychologist coaches me too.
The most important thing is to explain day by day that life is very short, and we need to spend the day thinking and enjoying life. We can't been thinking too much and worrying about what is happening tomorrow.
I've had to learn how to listen to my body over the years and figure out how it all works together. I'm not invincible, so focusing on training my whole body and injury prevention have been extremely important.
Buy a gift for a dog, and you'll be amazed at the way it will dance and swerve its tail, but if don't have anything to offer to it, it won't even recognize your arrival; such are the attributes of fake friends.
When I see a game on the television, and you see afterwards 'possession percentage 60-40,' that doesn't say anything for me because it could be that one team is playing the ball between the back four 120 times.
I don't like to make comparisons, as it's different coaching a Spanish team to coaching a German or English team. Each country has their style, more or less, and within each country, they have different styles.
I try to stay as young as these rookies are.It feels a bit strange not to be anymore the youngster I used to be. But I'm okay with it. Mostly, I enjoy being on the pitch with so many talented players around me.
I wouldn't mind a spotlight also focused on the crowd, because, I think, one of the things that made the Olympic Games for Great Britain was the incredible support within the stadia where the events took place.
All you can do when you are given a chance to play for England is to go out against whoever that opponent may be and do it very well. And if you do that, you get yourself in the forefront of the manager's mind.
At a club like City, you cannot forget about the kids that have come through and are still emerging from the academy. We can't forget about them and we should always keep that in mind with an eye to the future.
The World Cup is the biggest party in football and it's a party for the world, it's incredible. It goes for a month and there is a huge amount of interest. It's the greatest thing you can do and it's beautiful.
Some players don't like training and I've seen some players who aren't bothered if they play or not. But I want to play every game. Sometimes you have to rest in certain games, but I want to play in every game.
I'm not going to tell people how to live their life and I surely wouldn't tell people my life is the way you should be living. People get to choose what they do want to do with their life and I appreciated that.
When you're younger and traveling and visiting new countries and cities, that stuff is exciting; it's flashy, it's shiny, but I always had this separation between who I was as a person and who I was as a player.
In the 123rd minute of the semifinal game at the Olympics against Canada, I scored the game-winning goal that brought us to the finals. You can't replicate those do-or-die moments in practice or a friendly game.
I'm so happy that I was able to make it to 120 games for Germany; 175 games would have been possible. I've had many great moments, but particularly the way the fans supported me and the road to the final in Rio.
Number one, it was a chance to thank my parents, because they passed away a couple of years ago. They gave me so much by giving me the opportunity to play soccer, and I wanted to share the story we had together.
I played mostly games like Asteroids and Pac-Man. Today, when I go into an arcade, the games are much more difficult and complex. I don't think I could even play some of the video games that are out there today.
It's just staying focused and working hard; that's all I've ever done. I was fortunate enough that things worked out for me. It doesn't happen all the time, but I don't let bumps in the road throw me off course.
My dad being a player. I was never that quick as a kid, so I had to get quicker. I trained hard. I was never that player who could roll out and relax, like Michael [ Owen] or Stevie [ Gerrard], who were natural.
I think when people say Madrid are playing well and Barca are not and vice-versa, or when one wins the Champions League, it's better than the other, I don't think that makes sense. Everyone takes their own path.
I suppose it hacks me off sometimes when people go on about all the other stuff, because I have really worked hard at my game, and I've been incredibly dedicated in getting myself fit, and getting my game right.
I don't skip practice, I'm not late for meetings, I'm professional in everything I do, you never hear about me not showing up for planes and missing flights, so why is it that I'm always being labeled a bad guy?
There are going to be highs and lows throughout a career, and you have to try and level it out. Don't get too high and carried away when things are going well, but don't get too low when things aren't happening.
With Bayern, we want a lot of ball possession and to control the play, so I operate sometimes like the 11th outfield player. Thus I am included a lot into the build-up play and have a lot of touches of the ball.
When you are young, you need to know the reality because when you are in your bubble, you believe that, always, all you do is right. And sometimes you need people who say, 'Hey, come on, what happened with you?'
As a mother I think you often get so caught up in trying to take care of everyone else that you forget to take care of yourself. But I'm a much better wife and mother when I take the time to take care of myself.
I'm a happy guy. I like to joke around. I'm irreverent. I love my family; I love my son. I was very happy with and proud of the birth of my son. I grew up a lot after he was born. I'm just an easy and happy guy.
For 20 years they have asked me the same question, who is the greatest? Pele or Maradona? I replay that all you have to do is look at the facts - how many goals did he score with his right foot or with his head?
If any player has a bad game its there in the back of your mind in the next game. Theres always a hangover. It is like a wounded animal in a way, as you want to get out there as quick as possible and rectify it.
I feel very privileged to be asked to be featured in another FIFA Soccer release, ... The game gives me the opportunity to play the matches I want to play every day of the week -- even while away from the field.
Nelson Mandela is my hero outside of football. I was fortunate enough to meet him a couple of times. He was really clued up on his football and he knew me, so that was just unbelievable. It really stuck with me.
I'm very happy at City, very happy since the day I came. I knew that the project was good, and in my head, there is nothing else but Manchester City, so how long I'm going to be at City is just never a question.
If I had a Paul Scholes in my team, everything would be around him. At Manchester United, they saw it like that, but I think Paul Scholes is one of the best I've played against in this league, and seen anywhere.
I have always given everything to the clubs I have represented and I represent. But I cannot lie to you: the club of my heart is still Real Zaragoza, who I have supported as a child and where I started my career.
Winning the World Cup is definitely the highlight of my career. I thought the gold medal at the Olympics would peak it, but winning the World Cup, the reception... it's what we all dreamed of when we were little.
You certainly get used to winning in general. Winning the Champions League is a very particular feeling, but it's really the journey that makes it special. Every journey that brings you toward a win is important.
I have faced many, but the most annoying was James Milner. He follows you forward and follows you backwards. It's very difficult because he attacks you and defends you, and then attacks you and defends you again.
In Holland and Spain and France, where so many of us come from, people aren't interested in the sex lives of their players. We don't hear these stories - even in Italy where the media is right on top of football.
The reason I became a manager was to have full control over training. If you are a coach, you are bound by what the manager wants you to coach. The other reason is that I just like the company of football people.