I realized soccer was my favorite sport the second I touched the soccer ball and realized that you could be so free and creative and be yourself.

Fussball ist wie Schach, nur ohne Würfel.

Football … is a ballet of wondrous beauty choreographed by highly skilled performers, dramatising the conflict between good and evil that takes place in every heart. And, at the same time it reflects the impatient immediacy of modern society in that success breeds immortality, while the procurement of second place begets anonymity.

I think it is important for all those young out there, who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and kick it and run with it and put it in your hands, a distinction should be made that football is democratic, capitalism, whereas soccer is a European socialist sport.

To win the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport.

We did it by playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football.

I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music.

For me, football is the only thing more inspiring than the cinema. You wake up in the morning, and the magic was all real.

There’s more magic in a well-aimed three-talent ball than in all the wizards of Egypt.

Football remains a beautiful thing for relaxation and for future building. But it also remains a passion that when you follow can take you to places.

Scoring a goal is the best part of the best job in the world. So when I see players not even smiling I can’t relate to them.

Mia, what is the most important thing for a soccer player to have?” With no hesitation, she answered, “Mental toughness.

Oh the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Yeah. We're in a special place, Ian. We've seen some football matches in our time. But, I've never seen? Seen a game like this, or been in a spectacle like this. I'll remember this for the rest of my life. Yeah, yeah. You'd much rather see seven goals than a one-nil defensive display, wouldn't you? At least they're getting entertained.