"I always wanted kids I could take to work, and for them to experience the things I experience. So, having three boys as a footballer was a dream."

"At the end of the day, I'm a footballer who has played at some of the biggest football clubs in the world and played with some of the best players in the world."

"I've never seen myself as a celebrity, but I see it in a positive way, the fact that people are still interested in most parts of my life.""At the end of the day, I'm a footballer who has played at some of the biggest football clubs in the world and played with some of the best players in the world."

"My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7."

"I still look at myself and want to improve."

"Being at a club that supported me meant a lot."

"Nothing amazes me anymore."

"I am happier now than I have ever been."

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing."

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

"I love little kids looking up to me, young players looking up to me, respecting me."

"We stay as a team. I might be England captain, but that doesn't mean I get treated differently."

"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."

"I have got this obsessive compulsive disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line, or everything has to be in pairs."

"I love scoring goals for England and playing for England. That's one of the reasons I didn't retire - I love playing for my country."

"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."

"Throughout my career I have been pretty successful, I've played for some pretty big teams, represented my country quite a few times, and played for managers without sentiment."

"I have always found it an honor that people have wanted to buy my shirt and an honor that fans turn up to watch the team I am playing in. I have always found that a huge honor."

"The spotlight will always be on me, but it's something I'm learning to live with as the years go by."

"I think the most important goal I scored in Spain was the first one because people were wary about me coming over to Spain as a player - they thought I was just there to sell shirts."

"I can't get through some movies without shedding a tear; I can't lie."

"I feel this pang of regret whenever I watch sport; this sense that I will never play a big match again."

"I remember how inspiring it was to meet players like Bobby Charlton or Bryan Robson when I was a kid. I still remember Clive Allen showing up when I received a trophy for my Sunday league team."

"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."