Quotes from David Beckham

With United, we'd all grown up together, we all wanted to win the biggest trophy in football. We did it togther.

I love football and I love winning, and when things aren't going right I get annoyed.

It was always going to be difficult, no matter what I'd set up, no matter how many children I have got to take my mind off things. There was always going to be a moment when I finished playing, that I was going to find tough.

I love little kids looking up to me, young players looking up to me, respecting me.

I love scoring goals for England and playing for England. That's one of the reasons I didn't retire - I love playing for my country.

My parents were always very strict, and they gave me the right beliefs in how to treat people. It was very strict and all about morals - I try to pass that on to my own children.

We stay as a team. I might be England captain, but that doesn't mean I get treated differently.

Everyone's been so quick to say that I'm really thick or I haven't got a brain. People will think whatever they want to think.

It's is always nice to be respected as a footballer. I am going to go out and enjoy the game and if I can set one or two goals up then so be it - I would love to.

Two of my boys are Manchester United fans; one is an Arsenal fan. Whenever there is a game I can take the boys to, I love taking them.

I've felt a little tired, but I'm only 24. I love playing football. That's my job and that's what I love doing.

I remember how inspiring it was to meet players like Bobby Charlton or Bryan Robson when I was a kid. I still remember Clive Allen showing up when I received a trophy for my Sunday league team.

No one's ever really given me any style advice. I wear what I want, and it doesn't matter what other people think.

My life here is perfect and I'm happy at Real Madrid so, of course, I want to stay as long as I can.

Like any parent, I just want the best for my kids, whatever they decide to do. They will choose what path they want to follow, and we will always be there to encourage them.

As a footballer you always want to test yourself against the best.

No matter who our opponents are, or who we are playing against, we want to win the game.

People just assume, over the years, that soccer players are not too intelligent. As with most assumptions, they're wrong.

When you get older, you mature, and you start liking flowers. Although I try and keep it manly.

People look at my tattoos, and the majority of them are religious images, so people think, 'Oh, he must be very religious'. I respect all religions, but I'm not a deeply religious person. But I try and live life in the right way, respecting other people.

I am always going to have problems with the paparazzi. I have had two men outside my house for the last two years, which is frightening at times, but that is my life unfortunately.

It's one thing I like about America - they respect the sportsman. They put them up on a pedestal. They don't try to knock them down. And that's a great thing, to be respected by the whole country. It's so patriotic!

I've seen the growth of this game in this country, the stadiums that were built, the great European players that have come and the great American players who've been created. Americans want to be number one at everything. And they are at baseball, football, basketball. Soccer is growing fast, and I want to be a part of that.

He was a quiet man, Eric Cantona, but he was a man of few words.