I love football, adore it.

People automatically think that because you attack, you can't defend. Not true.

I enjoy gastronomy, music, and fashion, so I'll end up involved in one of those three areas - or all three! They're things I have a passion for, and I only do what I'm passionate about.

In football, I've always been about adapting to what's asked of me, to what my team-mates need from me. I'm a team player.

Players earn their wages, their livelihoods, and their right to compete to win things out on the pitch and not off it.

A national team is a reflection of its country's football, and both Brazil and Argentina have earned respect for what they've achieved.

It's the old story: do you want a normal car, or something top of the range? That is how I am - the older I am, the more expensive I am!

People are marked down for their age - once you get past 30, people look at you a bit funny. When you get to 35, the questions are all, 'When are you going to stop?' Calm down!

I don't have an expiry date. My body is my answer - when I see that I can no longer compete, when my head is not in it anymore, it will be the time to stop.

I have had disagreements with journalists, but they annoy me so much when they don't talk about football.

Having my friends close to me is always a pleasure, a great honour.

To be a great champion, you have to believe that you are the best, and if you aren't, then you have to act as though you are.

I think that my team is more important than me.

Cristiano works hard. We have our battles, but I admire him. He is a guy with great dedication, and he's competitive.

Messi is much better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

When you want to win, you are doomed to suffer conflicts.

Starting in a World Cup is always complicated, hard, and important. When you start well... The rest of the competitors are watching. I think it's the most important match in a World Cup, along with the final.

From God, I have the strength and intelligence to have alternatives and can live even without football.

Everyone wants, wants, wants... and when they have, they feel desperate.

I don't understand why everyone fights for power, money, fame.

If you lose a title, perhaps it's because your rivals are better than you are. But to be demoted from the top flight is really heartbreaking.

Jose Mourinho is a great coach. I would really like to work with him, and I once came close. He knows what weapons to use against teams, and he has won everything.

I would not play in Madrid. If I leave Barca, I would not go there. My Madrid train has passed.

Even without tactical discipline, what is important for a team is having players with maturity and a sense of responsibility.