“Music was important. Football was the easy part.”

Real Madrid is the most important thing that happened to me, both as a footballer and as a person.

I love Madrid. I am happy to be here. I have been here three years and hope to be here longer. But I am proud of where I come from and never forget the people I grew up with.

The door can never be closed for good to any player.

Zidane was from another planet. When Zidane stepped onto the pitch, the 10 other guys just got suddenly better. It is that simple.

I was lucky to come from a difficult area. It teaches you not just about football but also life. There were lots of kids from different races and poor families. People had to struggle to get through the day.

My memories of events and games are fragmented.

I am supposed to set an example to young players.

Obviously fashion is a completely different world from football.

You can’t get bored of winning. You can win 10 games in a row but you keep the same will to snatch the 11th. You always need more.

Zidane is the master. Over the past 10 years, there’s been no-one like him, he has been the best player in the world.

If you are determined and confident, there is nothing in this great existence that can stop you from achieving what you want.

I have never had the opportunity to play in England, so I know little about it.

Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.

When your own fans whistle and jeer, then you have a big problem.

Messi is the Mozart of football.

Sometimes words are harder than blows.

Seeing yourself through the eyes of others makes it easier to love yourself.

It is frightening how dependent on drugs we are all becoming and how easy it is for doctors to prescribe them as the universal panacea for our ills.

I spent my whole life helping my mother carry around her psychic trunks like a bitter bellhop. So a great load was lifted when she died, and my life was much easier.

No matter how smart you are, you’re smarter if you take the easy ways when they are available.

That person who is the hardest to forgive is the one who can teach you the greatest lessons. When you love yourself enough to rise above the old situation, then understanding and forgiveness will be easy. And you’ll be free.

For us it’s not easy to be conformist, I cannot stand to be conformist, I don’t accept what it is, I like to say no. If I see an injustice I scream.

Conversion is not putting a man in an armchair and taking him easily to heaven. It is the beginning of a mighty conflict, in which it costs much to win the victory.

Best productivity tool ever invented? Easy…the word “no”.