Quotes from Eran Zahavi

I love the team and was always proud to represent Israel and do everything to bring accomplishments and give the fans something to root for.

I don't owe the media anything.

Sometimes I hear fans say that 'you should play for the emblem on the shirt.' I play for myself because after two inaccurate passes the fans are already cursing you.

When I was five years old I would see Champions League games and I asked God to let me have a part in these games and to show my quality to the world and to be famous for football and to try my best.

It doesn't matter who has possession, it matters who scores.

Any time you sign a contract it means that you had a good season last year and that you need to improve yourself this season.

I want to say thank you to Maccabi's fans who welcomed me with a warmth and love from the first moment, which only grew over time.

I realized I needed to take more responsibility, be more mature, not to lose the ball in precarious areas. In past I was apathetic, didn't think too much.

The derby is always the most important match of the year and it's always nice to score goals against the leaders and the best teams.

I go out to every match to do my job and my teammates help me score and to be honest I score so much because they make it so easy for me.

People forgot how much pride I bring to Israel while playing in the Chinese league.

Qualifying for the UEFA Champions League group stage was a big thing in Israel.

I was treated like a state enemy after throwing the captain's armband. Things went a lot further than I thought. I am the only one that paid a price as I'm no longer part of the national team. I sacrificed myself so that the team won't be booed anymore and players won't be cursed.

I think people in China like to see R&F and how we play. I think it's a very important part of football that the fans enjoy coming to the game.

I was a very impulsive, emotional kid.

My biggest dream from the moment I started playing soccer was to join the national side. I was privileged to be part of the team and to serve as its captain and there's no greater honor.

I can speak in cliches and say how much the Israel national team means to us, but we have to prove that on the pitch.

When we are with the national team we are playing against much better players.

I'm facing new challenges in China, the league here is developing and I try to help Chinese football develop here and around the world.

It's my obligation to celebrate after scoring a goal.

At Maccabi, I played with a team that scored many goals and I was the dominant player, but that's not the case with Israel.