Quotes from Edgar Davids

By playing in the street, the level of Asian football can absolutely improve, as you will get more technical players. They will be quicker, more creative, and after succeeding in the street, it will be a piece of cake for them to do well eleven a side.

I played street soccer; that's where I started. If you look at South America, that's why they have technical players.

Fashion is important, man.

In both games, you have to think fast. In chess you tend to know all the patterns already, just like in football.

Jaap Stam is a man-mountain of a footballer.

I just grew up in Ajax with all the players from Ajax. We only had two or three foreigners, so everyone knew each other and knew the system.

This game is about engagement and respect, whether you're playing in the Champions League or in the fourth division.

I can play left-back; I can play in midfield or on the left or right wings.

Gerrard is passionate, and he leads from the front. At times, he has lifted Liverpool to great wins almost single-handedly.

People think racist abuse stops on the football pitch, but that's just the beginning. When you go home, you are still confronted with it. Football is just a magnifying glass of the real world.

Visually, my trademarks have always been my glasses and hair.

Asian players are very eager to work hard, but they don't have the physicality of the Europeans, so they might actually need to work twice as hard. With street football, their skills will improve a lot, and so will their tactical awareness, because by playing within a limited space, you need to be very focused on your game.

If you are hoping for a Champions' League final or winning a title, it's the same. You are working for a result.

It hurts me that Puyol is leaving Barcelona, and I wish him well. For me, he was always the fire that the team needed.

The truth hurts, and not everyone can deal with it. Every player is different, but they are all entitled to the truth. It is up to them if they can handle it or not.

The past can influence the future. When you finish one chapter, you open another, which will be influenced by what you've just lived through.

You see, in the fashion industry, everybody either knows each other or is linked to one another. If you're not part of their inner circle, things can be hard.

The transition from soccer to fashion was an organic one.

When you play eleven a side, you might go through a game with very few touches, but with street football, you're always involved in the game, so it is a great way to improve your skill and to learn how to create and use space, as the pitch is very small.

Even though you're irritated or disappointed about a game, never lose your human side.

It is a lot easier to manage at a big club rather than at a smaller one. Look at Frank Rijkaard. At Sparta Rotterdam, he was disastrous - and then went to Barca and won everything.

Everyone wants to play in the Champions' League because that's where it is all happening. That's where you get the A-status for players. It's very important for young players.

I played for Barcelona, for Ajax, where it's important to develop and integrate young talent.

If you look at most youngsters, they have worked well under Van Gaal. I had never heard of Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich before Van Gaal managed him, and he's now one of the best players in the world.