When You Look At Our

Big Matches On The Big Stage Are Often Decided At The Back.

The Realization That You're Not Always Standing Down There On The Field Merely To Win, To Be Successful, Was Very Liberating. One Can Be Successful By Helping The Team, The Other Players. All Of A Sudden I Felt The Kind Of Empathy For People That I Hadn't Felt Before.

It Took Me A Long Time To Realize That Football Isn't Martyrdom, But A Game That's Enjoyable, And One In Which Getting Better At It Is Supposed To Be Fun. Perhaps It Would Have Been Better If I Had Understood This As A Young Man.

I Am Firmly Convinced That You Shouldn't Necessarily Emphasize Hedonism, Especially At The Beginning Of A Career, But Should Instead Focus Entirely On Performance.

If I Play, I Try To Concentrate On Producing My Best.