We have just experienced a huge year in football, hitting its peak on a balmy night in July as a sea of Germans celebrated lifting the FIFA World Cup™. Therefore it is no surprise that in between January's FIFA Ballon d'Or and the FIFA Club World Cup in December, that FIFA.com spoke to many of the biggest figures in football to give you, the fans, a greater insight into the game we all love.
On top of the A-list superstars from the pitch, we also tracked down familiar faces from World Cups gone by, as well as characters you may not have heard of with fascinating stories to tell. To ring in the New Year, we have picked out some of our favourites for you to look back on.
Just click on the names of any interviewee to read the full discussion or, if using the FIFA App, find a full list of featured interviews to the right or below.
“Ever since I was born, I’ve been through some tough situations. But that’s what has given me the strength and the drive to succeed. I’m not afraid of anything.”
France's Franck Ribery discusses challenges he has faced during his life
“Once someone wins a Champions League, a UEFA Cup or an international competition then he can consider himself a good player, even a top one. But once you win a World Cup, you become a legend.”
Fabio Cannavaro, former Italy captain, on the value of winning the FIFA World Cup
“It was love at first sight and that feeling has grown stronger with each passing day, week, month and year.”
Javier Zanetti reflecting on almost two decades with Inter Milan
“Football is funny like that. A match that was the World Cup Final last time round is now a group-opener.”
Spanish maestro Xavi on the prospect of facing fellow South Africa 2010 finalists Netherlands in their opening game in Brazil, which ultimately ended in a 5-1 defeat for Spain
“There’s basically nothing more important in Dortmund than football. Munich is just too nice a city to restrict yourself to football, you’re halfway to your holidays when you go there. Hamburg has the coast, Cologne has [annual street festival] Karneval, and Dortmund has football, end of. ”
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp on why he loves working at the club
“Even speaking about it now my hairs - not the ones on my head as I don’t have any - but the ones on the back of my neck stand up on end! It was fantastic. That Final completely changed my life.”
Referee Howard Webb, who retired from the profession in 2014, reflects on taking charge of the South Africa 2010 final
“We’re all used to seeing the Copacabana and other beaches filled with people playing on the sand and Brazil is considered such a football crazy country, where the people basically live for the game. Being a footballer is as good as it gets for anybody in Brazil.”
England manager Roy Hodgson looking ahead to why he thought the World Cup was going to be so special
“It goes without saying that you always want the best for your people and your family, but if I could choose, I’d ask God to let me be born earlier to help Brazil and stop it from happening.”
Pele when asked if he thinks he could have prevented Brazil's Maracanazo defeat to Uruguay in 1950
“I was a very lucky man to escape with my life.”
Hiroshi Kagawa, the oldest registered journalist at Brazil 2014, recalls his spell as a Japanese kamikaze pilot during a fascinating insight into his incredible life.
“Some might say that they didn’t really do anything out of the ordinary or exceptional – except that they did, because they did what every team dreams of doing. Germany played as a unit.”
Dunga, prior to being reappointed as Brazil coach, on what Germany did to be able to beat Brazil 7-1
“I'd only started playing again on 15 February after a knee operation on 7 December. I did what I needed to come back and so, by the time June came around, I was walking on water. Like Jesus.”
France legend Just Fontaine on his preparations for World Cup 1958, where he scored a record 13 goals
“I’m paying the price for all the exertion, all the injections over the last two years and forcing the knee to the limit... at the moment, even walking down a flight of stairs is difficult.”
Former Spain and Barcelona defender Carles Puyol reveals the price he has paid for pushing his body to extend his career
“I’m not somebody who watches my top ten saves on YouTube; I don’t have any interest in that. What’s more interesting are the situations where I can ask myself, 'What did you do right?' and above all, 'What did you do wrong?'”
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on how he assesses his own game
“The scoreline didn’t reflect the difference in quality between the two teams, but it did reflect our psychological state heading into the World Cup. We weren’t prepared for things going wrong, and that was down to the pressure.”
Defender Dante on Brazil's 7-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals
“I always try it in training. You try 100 times and it goes in twice. This time it went in, and right in the corner too, although personally I prefer the one against Japan. It was classier and had a little more magic about it.”
Colombian star James Rodriguez on his FIFA Puskas Award nominated goal against Uruguay, and how it was not his favourite from Brazil
“I’d like to say thank you for this complete overestimation of my ability.”
World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm reacting to a magazine quote saying: 'His considered, composed play is based on utterly reliable technical skill and undeniably superb reading of the game'.
“I’ve been through so many four-year cycles. Each time a new one starts, it seems like the road is going to be too long or too hard.”
Captain Christie Rampone on the journey she has gone through to reach 300 caps for USA
“The Netherlands and Chile were better than us, and we need to accept defeat like good sportsmen. We shouldn’t look for pointless excuses.”
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque reflects on their World Cup exit
“It goes without saying that it’s nicer for the players to be loved than hated.”
Coach Didier Deschamps on fans getting behind the France national team again
“I honestly didn't even think about it; didn't consider that I could possibly be in the reckoning with the Di Stefanos and the like. It was a wonderful surprise.”
Denis Law, the celebrated Scotland and Manchester United forward, on winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 1964
“For a goalkeeper to win the award today something truly exceptional has to happen... perhaps a goalkeeper will win the Ballon d’Or [again] when he helps his team become world champions by winning four games in a row on penalties and saving every spot-kick (laughs).”
Italy's Gianluigi Buffon on the challenge for goalkeepers to win football's top individual prize
“Without raising his voice or being dramatic, Sir Alex really made sense and the entire team - players, captain and the entire European squad - took great inspiration from it... I think we left the room feeling pretty invincible and part of a singular unit.”
World No1 golfer Rory McIlroy on getting a team talk from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson