Quotes from Diego Forlan

I went to Japan to experience a new culture, and I would recommend that any footballer does that. But the main reason I went was to play football.

People have high expectations of me, and I want to fulfil them.

My best years were 2010 and 2011, and the 2010 World Cup was the most incredible experience. Our tiny nation reached the semi-finals, I finished joint-top scorer in South Africa, and my goal against Germany was voted the best of the tournament. I was also named the best player of that World Cup.

Playing a World Cup is spectacular.

In the World Cup finals, you're unlikely to meet a continental rival. In Copa America, you know they are just around the corner and that you will have to beat them to win the competition.

Winning the Europa League with Atletico Madrid and then reaching a semi-final of the World Cup is great.

It is only natural that the years pass, and after consecutive matches, you feel more and more tired, but it is normal.

Italy won the world title in 2006 and went out in the group phase in 2010 and 2014. They didn't make it beyond the first round. You don't win things because of your history, the shirt, or the names on the teamsheet.

I have huge respect for Porto, a great club that's always in the hunt for titles, but they aren't Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Players should get the best deals for themselves whenever they can. Football is a relatively short career.

With a good start, players can relax a bit more and aren't so anxious throughout the season.

I found it difficult when I first started to travel around the world as a footballer. Hotels go from places you are excited to stay in to places you get tired of pretty quickly.

I played 112 times for Uruguay and experienced some of the greatest moments in my life representing my country.

As a footballer, it can be enjoyable to do a proper interview where you trust the journalist to reproduce your thoughts.

The best strikers make you sit up and take notice because every time they get the ball, you think that something amazing could happen. Of course they'll score goals, but they'll have something in their game which makes you think, 'Wow, he can win this game by doing something magical.'

Courtois was rated highly enough by Chelsea to go back and replace Petr Cech, one of the best goalkeepers of modern times. He has lived up to his reputation.

Nobody comes back from a serious injury and is the same after a month or even three months. You should play in the reserves; you get your muscle back and regain your match rhythm. Psychologically, you need to build your confidence back up and you hope there are no complications. Even in a settled side, it's hard.

I wake up at 7 A.M. each morning and work out with a personal trainer.

I had wanted to play for Penarol since I was a boy. When I was young, I would go to their training ground, but at 18, I left Uruguay for Argentina, and my professional career started.

Japan is a country that works well. The trains, buses, and planes stick to their timetables. When you try to change the schedule of anything, it can confuse.

I'm friendly - I've never changed - but some people can be intimidated to approach you, especially younger footballers.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined United a year after me. He was ultra-confident, with the talent to back it up. He was dedicated, too, and practised as hard as anyone after training. You could tell that he wanted to be a great player, the greatest.

We're a small country, and if you look at it that way, then we're at a disadvantage, though I know that most of the players who know or have come up against Uruguayans prefer to avoid us.

Uruguay is a small country but with a lot of football history. We've won so many things, and so the people are always expecting us to do good things.