Quotes About Soccer

The women's national team is a very successful team, and that success has given us a platform to speak on gender equity issues. Millions of young women play soccer in this country, and it's empowering for them to see that our contribution to the game is valued.

A lot of young women play soccer, and it's wonderful to give them something to aspire to.

When I got to the senior national team, there was another Ronaldo, so they started calling me Ronaldinho because I was younger.

I don't know if I found soccer or if soccer found me. Especially because when I was younger, I was doing it, in a lot of ways, because I wanted the attention of my mom and dad.

When I was younger, I had some close friends who always loved European football, and Real Madrid at that time were the dominant force. I remember family holidays when we used to go to Spain, and we'd bring back replica shirts of Real Madrid and pretend to be the players when we played in the park.

By joining Common Goal, I hope I can encourage the younger generation of players to think about social responsibility in their lives.

Even all the top players going to Europe to play helps soccer in America, as do all the MLS players like Beckham and all that, they're trying to promote it. At the end of the day it's about getting the younger generation interested at an early age so most of them will move on and play.

At RB Leipzig at first I was 18 years old. I was the youngest player in the squad and so at first it wasn't easy because I came there with an injury.

I really wanted to play in the Premier League, which I'd been watching since I was a youngster every Saturday or Sunday before I'd go and play for Rosario Central.

If you ask my favourite team, I'll say Arsenal. It is a club with a good philosophy, where youngsters get their chance.

African soccer has grown to the extent that the majority of its players are playing for European teams and that is very good as they are becoming role models for the youngsters on the continent.

Sean Davis is one of the best youngsters I've been around. He's got an old head on his shoulders and he's a very good player.

When you're a kid your dream is to be decisive in a Champions League final, and I managed to do that.

At 15, I was playing with the C team at Reims and I wanted to leave. It's a difficult age for a kid - I wanted to go out with my mates, party... girls... that happens to everyone. Luckily, my mum told me: 'You don't know what you want, it's football - it's your dream and it could be a great job.' She was right.

Around the age of 14, I was very discouraged from a coach. It was my first youth club team while playing soccer. She told me at the time that I wasn't good enough to play on the team, that I would never get into the game.

I get asked this a lot: Why has soccer not succeeded? My answer is, soccer has succeeded. It is already the fastest growing youth participation sport in the U.S. It has already succeeded at the youth level, no question.

After I signed pro forms in 1991, I went on to be chosen for a Paulista state championship select XI, then for Brazil at youth level, then for the full squad, and then finally I became a World Cup winner.

I don't really have anything against the French except that, as an American, I've been bred to despise them with the same zeal as soccer and Renny Harlin films.

A hat trick in a derby is a special thing.

I've always said I learned to defend myself from an opponent coming for a hard hit. Tricks are part of my repertoire; I use them to try to get past my opponents, but the objective is always to score goals.

I can't do tricks, but I absolutely loved trying, and one of my fondest memories growing up was trying to imitate Ronaldinho and do his dance.

When I was younger, I used to have more flair, I used to do more tricks, the nutmegs, the step-overs.

As a quick, tricky player, I've been told that I don't go down enough because I've always tried to stay on my feet or I don't win clever fouls around the box. But when you are quick, the fastest way to be stopped is by being fouled so it happens to me a lot, even if I don't always maximise the opportunity.

I know these away legs are always going to be tricky playing in front of 30,000 people.