“When you have kids you do grow up. I have just started realising it now-it changes the world, having children.”

To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country.

I haven’t retired from international football – I still believe I have a part to play in the future of England.

I have got this obsessive compulsive disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line, or everything has to be in pairs.

I just want people to see me as a hard-working footballer and someone who is passionate about the game.

One thing will not change – we will be going out to win.

Wayne’s like my son, Brooklyn, who goes out in the garden to play and have fun.

My priority is always the family and Victoria [Beckham] and I always ensure we are there for our children. We work hard but family comes first.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Being at a club that supported me meant a lot.

That was in the past – we’re in the future now.

I didn’t want to go there [America] at 34 years old and for people to say he’s only going for the money. It’s not what I’m going out there to do

I’ve always come back from adversity, and I’ve always had the mentality of proving people wrong.

You will go through tough times, it’s about getting through them.

With United, we’d all grown up together, we all wanted to win the biggest trophy in football. We did it togther.

[Meeting Mandela] was the highlight of my career; to meet such a great man and a strong man and such a passionate man about sport and life will always stay with me.

I’m not silly enough to think I’m going to change the whole culture … but I do have a belief that soccer can go to a different level.