The Week in Quotes - WORLD FOOTBALL

The Week in Quotes - WORLD FOOTBALL

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"I have so many good memories of our time together as team-mates and champions at Santos FC, the Brazil national team and New York Cosmos. We had a winning partnership, and even after football we remained very close. I send my sincere condolences to his family and may his soul Rest in Peace. Dear God, please take care of our 'Capitao'."
Pele leads the tributes for former Brazil captain and legend Carlos Alberto, who tragically passed away this week, on his Facebook page

"He can play in so many positions. The problem is not the position. The problem is not the tactical system. The problem is, in my opinion, somebody that comes from a different style of football and needs this time to be at his best level in football that is really difficult to play, especially for midfield players. I think it is really difficult to play or adapt from different realities, but he is a phenomenal player. He has unbelievable potential. He has years and years to develop his game, so that expectation and investment from the club is based on that -- a super player for the next seven or eight years. We don't expect Paul to arrive here and the next day to be unbelievable, but the other thing is that we trust him so much that we pass to him this kind of feeling. He is a very self-confident boy too, so we are living well with the critics, if you want, and we know what the critics are. With the quality of his pass, with his aerial game, with his agility in such a big body, for his defensive side of the game, coming from the back with the ball, he would be a phenomenal central defender, too.”
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho talks about United midfielder Paul Pogba's qualities in an interview with Sky Sports

“It felt like there's been a big mountain on top of me all season. Finally, with the goal, that mountain went away.”
Seattle Sounders forward Nelson Valdez speaks to The Associated Press about the relief of scoring the match-winning goal in his side's 1-0 play-off knockout round victory over Sporting Kansas City

"Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole, he does not give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game. ”
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo tells Coach Mag that former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole was the toughest opponent he has ever faced

"We all know who Messi is and what he means. He is the idol of my son and for him is a pleasure being at his side. He is always happy for playing together and he is playing here for Messi. If Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo never existed probably Neymar never existed too; the same with Pele and Maradona, both inspired a lot of players."
Neymar's father Neymar da Silva Santos Sr. tells Cope the reason his son plays for Barcelona is because of Lionel Messi and that the Argentinian star is his son's idol  

"One day I received a letter from Sir Alex Ferguson wishing me well. That was a surprise because not everybody gets a letter from Sir Alex Ferguson when they are injured but I knew from a year before that Manchester United were following me closely. It was still a surprise to receive the letter and I wrote back to him to say thank you, but I've not met him to say it."
​Burnley midfielder Steven Defour speaks with the Guardian about a special gesture of support he received from then-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson when he suffered a serious metatarsal injury in his right foot, ahead of the two clubs' meeting this weekend

"Higuain did well with me and was always hard working in training. How will I greet him on Saturday? In the same way that a father would with a son who made him angry.”
Napoli head coach Maurizio Sarri gives Sky Italia a humorous take on greeting former Napoli and current Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain when his side visits Turin

“I'm starting to see myself like a bottle of wine, you know? The older I get, the better the taste. I am a competitor and I want to play until my legs can't do it anymore. When I see that my level is dropping, I will just retire. I am honest with myself, but at the moment I am having fun. I love to run. I'm playing every game like it's my last.”
Juventus defender Patrice Evra speaks about ageing in an interview with UEFA.com 

"I have not retired from the national team, nor did I announce that I was leaving. Lopetegui chose other players and I have to respect that. We sat down and we talked it over, we are friends. He chose [David] De Gea and he has my full support. I am happy for Pepe Reina that he has returned, he's a team-mate and a friend. He has given a lot to Spain. He is a great influence inside the dressing room and a different kind of goalkeeper. I have stepped to one side, but I will always be available if they call me. To be able to play for Spain you have to be doing well with your club, I have always said that. Spain have been playing well. Those of us who know Lopetegui and have worked under him can see that the team has already got a bit of him about it."
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas says he has not retired from international football, in a Facebook Live session

"I am so happy with Sergio and hopefully he can stay for a long time. He is a special player, a striker who has scored millions of goals in his career. We cannot forget how many goals he scores for us. I am here to help him."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola tells Sky Sports he wants Sergio Aguero to stay with the club for a long time

"I have seen him furious a fair few times, both as a player and as a coach. Carlo can get angry if the situation calls for it. Carlo knows what he has to do. He knows when he has to be nice, show his players affection and when he has to tighten the leash a bit. We are talking about a coach who has been coaching the best teams in the world for 20 years or so and who has won loads of silverware. He can adapt to any situation."
Former Italy head coach Arrigo Sacchi reveals to Sport Bild that Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti knows when to get angry

"There are pros and cons. The pros are that you get to go on the pitch and do lots of different things. Sometimes at school people come up to you and say, 'Oh my gosh, your dad's Frank Lampard!' The cons are sometimes they only like you because of your dad. It's pretty annoying that he's important. Sometimes you get a big head!"
New York City FC's midfielder Frank Lampard's daughters, Isla and Luna, talk about what it is like having a professional footballer as a father in #AskTheLampards on the club's official website

“Most of that night was a blur of emotion, but I remember one moment so clearly. I will never forget it. When I was leaving my house to go to the party, I turned to my wife in the kitchen and said.… I’m getting goosebumps just remembering it. I turned to my wife and said, ‘I’ll be coming home tonight as a Premier League champion’. I kept screaming for 20 more minutes. The boys were going crazy. Then in the 83rd minute … Eden Hazard. Eden Hazard: Wow. Thank you, man. I’ve been watching football since I was six years old. I have never seen a more beautiful goal. When Hazard curled that ball into the top right corner, I couldn’t believe it. It was an impossible strike. Two weeks later, when we played Chelsea in the final match of the season, I walked up to Hazard after the final whistle and said, ‘May I kiss your feet, sir?’ He laughed.”
Leicester City defender Christian Fuchs writes about his experience winning the Premier League title, in The Players' Tribune

"Is it allowed for me to say I like Alex Ferguson? I met him before I was Liverpool manager. It's nice for him to say something positive. He did what he had to do at Manchester United, which automatically isn't good for Liverpool. But it's better he says something positive than negative about Liverpool. But I'm sure he didn't go out of his house and think, 'I'll say some things about Liverpool', he was asked a question!"
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who was praised by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson recently, jokingly acknowledges he is not supposed to praise him back due to the two clubs' rivalry, ahead of his side's trip to Crystal Palace

"It is my dream to coach Real Madrid. The Italian national team, too. If you don't have these types of goals, it is better not to start coaching in the first place."
Former Italy and FIFA Ballon d'Or-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro says coaching his former club Real Madrid and the Italian national team is his dream, in an interview with Marca