“I always used to go for blondes and quiet girls, but Victoria is the total opposite – dark and loud.”

I knew it was my time to retire, when I saw Messi running past me.

I dream a lot about football and a lot of them have come true for me.

I’ll never forget where I’m from, never forget my roots. It doesn’t matter where I live. I’m English, simple as that.

I don’t think I’m really in a situation to complain, because I consider myself to be privileged to be doing what I do.

The secret to my success is practice!

He was a quiet man, Eric Cantona, but he was a man of few words.

Soccer is a magical game.

I can play in the center, on the right and occasionally on the left side.

Being a dad is more important than football.

I am always going to have problems with the paparazzi. I have had two men outside my house for the last two years, which is frightening at times, but that is my life unfortunately.

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

I don’t have time for hobbies. At the end of the day, I treat my job as a hobby. It’s something I love doing.

No matter who our opponents are, or who we are playing against, we want to win the game.

I work out with my trainer or do an hour of pilates at 6 or 7AM. I’m done by the time my household is awake.

As soon as I hit the ball, I know if it’s in.

Well I’m the Prince and I’m sort of slaying a dragon – which is something I’ve never done before, obviously.

And men, whose reason long was blind, From cells of madness unconfined, Oft lose whole years of darker mind.

Only the moon’s smile can cure the unseen scars of darkness.

From the dark depths of my soul came an intense passion for prose.

A lot of women don’t know how to love because there’s deep reasons for them not knowing how to love. And what I mean by deep reasons is deep and dark reasons.

Love is love, even if it is illicit; like light remains light even in the darkness.

I remember the stillness of the night when I met darkness for the first time.  Whispering gently in my ear “It’s time to come home”

How abstract we humans sound, when we say these are dark times. As though it isn’t in our hands that paint our times.

The darkness feels like home. And the truth is, I’m tired.  I can’t pretend like there’s light anymore.