“[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 happy in Madrid, my kids are happy and my wife is happy, so everything’s good. If anyone knows about contracts they take a while to sort out.

I like nice clothes, whether they’re dodgy or not.

I love football and I love winning, and when things aren’t going right I get annoyed.

I’m a big fan of old boots.

I still believe I have a part to play for England.

It is so great that fashion is not a question of price, and it can be more accessible to everyone interested in fashion.

I’ve got friends in the different teams I’ve played for, but family is the most important thing to me. That will always be the case.

I always wanted to be a hairdresser.

My private life is perfect. If your private life and your life outside football is good, then it is good on the field for you.

When I was a kid, I thought my dad was a little bit harsh with me at times. Sometimes I needed an arm around me instead of my dad telling me what I did wrong, but it obviously worked.

Like any parent, I just want the best for my kids, whatever they decide to do. They will choose what path they want to follow, and we will always be there to encourage them.

The buzz is still with me. I get goose bumps.

I respect all religions, but I’m not a deeply religious person. But I try and live life in the right way, respecting other people. I wasn’t brought up in a religious way, but I believe there’s something out there that looks after you.

Kids can have great passion and great ability but if you have the facilities for your particular sport that can give you the inspiration to become a sportsman.

My life here is perfect and I’m happy at Real Madrid so, of course, I want to stay as long as I can.

When I was seven I wanted to be a footballer, but when I was 14, I wanted to be a model. Look where it’s put me now!

In my career, I’m very grateful for the opportunities.

T.I.’s my mentor; he’s a really close friend of mine. I call him my brother like we talk on the phone all the time. He’s helped me with my career.

Well, you know, I was a human being before I became a businessman.

The hardest part of a missionary career is to maintain regular, prayerful Bible study. Satan will always find you something to do, when you ought to be occupied about that – if it is only arranging a window blind!

Obviously my career’s important to me and I’m really, really passionate about trying to keep it.

I went to business school, and I went straight from that to a nine-year career at Microsoft. Eventually, I ran a big chunk of the consumer products division for Microsoft.Then I left with the birth of our first daughter because Bill and I both wanted to have a few kids.

At the very worst, if I have a short-lived career, at least I could say I sparked a change – that I inspired some leniency in what people accept in hip-hop. And if I have a very long career and can be gyrating in a leotard at 35, that would be great.

I’m a civic busybody and I’ve been blessed with an active career.