Quotes About Soccer

Our soccer has always been weak in team-work. Iranians have been the best in the world individually, but as a team we are one step behind.

If you watch me play, you'll see how often I get kicked. I don't go off the pitch and cut myself to act like I've been kicked.

The only way to get to the other end of the pitch is to belt it and then belt it again.

When I was young, I looked up to Andriy Shevchenko. He was so elegant, and on the pitch as well.

I don't take the ball in the middle of the pitch and dribble past six guys.

My adaptation on the pitch has gone in parallel with my adaptation to London.

Play the pass at the right moment - not on a dry pitch and not hitting it hard enough. We don't have to accept it; that was a mistake - no goalkeeper should dribble in this situation.

I don't like to talk about myself. I don't want to talk about what I do, what I think I do. The position I play on the pitch, I am expected - and I expect - to create chances for my team-mates and score goals.

I consider myself to be half-Brazilian and half-German on the pitch.

On the pitch, you can have the feeling that everything is happening for you, from passing to tackles.

It's an honour every time I get the chance to go out on to the pitch, whether it be starting or as a sub, so I'm just happy to get on the pitch whenever I can.

To get onto the Maracana pitch is the dream of every child.

When I see some of the pitches which my father played on, I think that it must have been a different game.

I love what I do, which is to play football.

In England there are teams that play football that I like.

When I was young, all I wanted to do was play football.

Mostly as a No 10. When I was really young, I played as a striker, but I grew a lot when I was 15 or 16.

The best player I have ever played with? That's Ronaldo, il Fenomeno.

Usually, the most intelligent player is a midfielder.

You can ask any young player in the lower leagues. They always dream of playing for England.

Of course I would like to play with Cristiano Ronaldo - he is a great player.

I think Messi is the best player in the world.

The way we stop Mesut Ozil is as a team. He's a good player but only as a team can we stop him.

Because I'm fairly big, I like to use my body. So I'll control the ball, even when there's a player on me, and then I'll pass.