{"id":14134,"date":"2017-12-25T01:09:53","date_gmt":"2017-12-25T07:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=14134"},"modified":"2017-12-25T01:09:53","modified_gmt":"2017-12-25T07:09:53","slug":"the-myboysay-world-football-week-in-quotes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=14134","title":{"rendered":"THE MYBOYSAY WORLD FOOTBALL WEEK IN QUOTES"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"“I would like to play with Messi, it would be amazing. He is the best in the world, the one who makes more differences. Ronaldo? He is the most dangerous player at Real.\u00a0It is hard to stop him, like Messi, because both score a lot of goals and you never know what is going to be the next thing they will invent for scoring.\u00a0In my time\u00a0there were more players than today challenging for being the best in the world.\u00a0I remember Figo, Del Piero or Totti, now you always hear about the same players and I am pretty sure I could challenge with Messi and Ronaldo because football was harder in my times. I am not here for controversy, I’ll just say that both are very good players. However, in my time\u00a0you could find more quality players than today, in which you only hear about Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar.”<\/strong>
\n2002 FIFA World Cup winner Rivaldo on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in conversation with Betfair<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Rivaldo V\u00edtor Borba Ferreira (born 19 April 1972), known as Rivaldo (Brazilian Portuguese:\u00a0<\/small>[\u0281i\u02c8vawdu]<\/a><\/span>), is a Brazilian former professional footballer<\/a> and the current president of Mogi Mirim Esporte Clube<\/a> in Brazil. He played mainly as an attacking midfielder<\/a> but also as a second striker<\/a>. Although primarily left footed, he was capable of playing on either flank, and was on occasion deployed as a wide midfielder<\/a> or as a winger<\/a>.<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

He spent five years with Spanish club Barcelona<\/a>, where he formed a successful partnership with Patrick Kluivert<\/a>, and won the 1998<\/a> and 1999<\/a> Spanish La Liga<\/a> championship and the 1998<\/a> Copa del Rey<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From 1993 and 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 35 goals for Brazil<\/a> and is the seventh highest goalscorer<\/a>.<\/sup> He helped Brazil reach the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup<\/a>, and won the 1999 Copa Am\u00e9rica<\/a> where he was named player of the tournament. Rivaldo starred alongside Ronaldo<\/a> and Ronaldinho<\/a> in the 2002 FIFA World Cup<\/a> winning team. He was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team<\/a> in 1998 and 2002.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the most skillful and creative players of his generation, Rivaldo was renowned for his bending<\/a> free kicks<\/a>,overhead kicks<\/a>, technique, ball striking from distance, and ability to both score and create goals.\u00a0\u00a0In 1999, he won the Ballon d’Or<\/a> and was named FIFA World Player of the Year<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>In 2004, he was named by Pel\u00e9<\/a> in the FIFA 100<\/a> list of the world’s greatest living players.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>He is an inductee to the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame<\/a>. In March 2014, Rivaldo announced his retirement from professional football,\u00a0<\/span>however since June 2015 he made appearances for Mogi Mirim.\u00a0<\/span>On August 14, 2015, he announced that the comeback was over and that he was retiring once again; this due to persistent injuries.\u00a0<\/span>In 2015, he acted in Iranian cinema film I Am Not Salvador<\/a><\/i>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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“Signing for Real Madrid and winning titles is a dream come true. There are not many players who have managed to retire whilst playing for such a team but let’s see what happens. That is my real aim. I also need to win something with Croatia.”<\/strong>
\nReal Madrid midfielder Luka Modric discusses his future aspirations with Codere\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Luka Modri\u0107 (Croatian pronunciation:\u00a0<\/small>[l\u00fb\u02d0ka m\u01d2\u02d0drit\u0361\u0255]<\/a><\/span>; born 9 September 1985) is a Croatian professional footballer<\/a>who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid<\/a> and captains<\/a> the Croatia national team<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Modri\u0107 plays mainly as a central midfielder<\/a> but can also play as an attacking midfielder<\/a> or as a defensive midfielder<\/a>, usually deployed as a deep-lying playmaker<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Modri\u0107 is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>Born in Zadar<\/a>, Modri\u0107 was signed by Dinamo Zagreb<\/a> in 2002 after showing promise with his hometown club’s<\/a> youth team. He continued his development in Zagreb before spells on loan to Zrinjski Mostar<\/a> and Inter Zapre\u0161i\u0107<\/a>. He made his debut for Dinamo in 2005 and won three consecutive league titles and domestic cups with them, being named the Prva HNL Player of the Year<\/a> in 2007. In 2008, he moved to Premier League<\/a> club Tottenham Hotspur<\/a>, where he led the Spurs to their first UEFA Champions League<\/a> appearance in almost 50 years, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2010\u201311 tournament<\/a>.<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

After the 2011\u201312 season<\/a>, he moved to Real Madrid<\/a> for a fee of \u00a333 million, where he became a key contributor under coach Carlo Ancelotti<\/a> and helped the team to win La D\u00e9cima<\/i>, being elected to the squad of the season<\/a>. In 2016 and 2017, he won his second and third Champions Leagues with the squad and election to the squad of the season on both, as well as receiving the La Liga Award<\/a> for the “Best Midfielder” in 2016 for the second time, andUEFA Club Football Award<\/a> for the “Best Midfielder” in 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Modri\u0107 made his debut for Croatia against Argentina<\/a> in March 2006,\u00a0and he has since participated in every major tournament that Croatia have qualified for, including the 2006<\/a> and the 2014 FIFA World Cup<\/a>. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Italy<\/a>. At the 2008 Euros<\/a>, he was elected to the Team of the Tournament, becoming only the second Croatian to ever achieve this honor.\u00a0<\/span>In 2015, he became the first Croatian player ever to be included in the FIFA World XI<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>in which he was included once again in 2016 and 2017,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0as well in the UEFA Team of the Year<\/a> in 2016.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0He has been named the Croatian Footballer of the Year<\/a> five times, ranking behind only six-time winner Davor \u0160uker<\/a> for most wins.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I don’t look at the table before a Clasico. These games are different and have nothing to do with the way in which one team or the other is playing beforehand. We know what is at stake and we will try to take an important step to win La Liga.”<\/strong>
\nBarcelona\u2019s Andres Iniesta speaks with Marca ahead of Saturday\u2019s El Clasico<\/em><\/strong><\/strong>\"\"Andr\u00e9s Iniesta Luj\u00e1n (Spanish pronunciation:\u00a0<\/small>[an\u02c8d\u027ees i\u02c8njesta lu\u02c8xan]<\/a><\/span>; born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish professional\u00a0footballer<\/a> who plays as a central midfielder<\/a> for FC Barcelona<\/a> and the Spain national team<\/a>. He serves as the captain<\/a> for Barcelona.<\/strong>Iniesta came through La Masia<\/a><\/i>, the Barcelona youth academy, after an early emigration from his birthplace, and impressed from an early age. He made his first-team debut aged 18 in 2002. He began playing regularly during the\u00a02004\u201305 season<\/a> and has remained in the team ever since. Iniesta was an integral part of the Barcelona sides that won two historic trebles<\/a> in 2009 and 2015, and his 33 trophies make him the most decorated Spanish footballer of all time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>Iniesta played for Spain at the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 levels before making his international debut in 2006. He helped Spain win Euro 2008<\/a>, playing every game and being selected in the Team of the Tournament<\/a>. Iniesta was also a key member of the victorious Spanish team at the 2010 World Cup<\/a>; he scored the winning goal in the final\u00a0<\/a>against the Netherlands<\/a>, for which he was named the Man of the Match<\/a>, and was selected to the tournament’s All-Star Team<\/a>. At Euro 2012<\/a>, Iniesta led Spain to their second consecutive continental crown, again being chosen as the Man of the Match of the final<\/a> against Italy<\/a>, and was named the Player of the Tournament.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iniesta is widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders of all time.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Since 2009, he has been chosen in the UEFA Team of the Year<\/a> six times and has been voted into the FIFA World XI<\/a> on nine occasions. Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award<\/a> in 2012 and was named the IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker<\/a> in 2012 and 2013. He was runner-up to Lionel Messi<\/a> for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or<\/a> and achieved third place in 2012<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Danish international Mathias Jorgensen, commonly known as ‘Zanka’, spreads some festive cheer by offering to buy a drink for all Huddersfield Town fans making the trip to Southampton for their English Premier League meeting<\/em><\/strong><\/strong>Mathias Jattah-Njie J\u00f8rgensen (Danish pronunciation:\u00a0<\/small>[\u02c8j\u0276\u0250\u032fn\u0329sn\u0329]<\/a><\/span>; born 23 April 1990), commonly known asZanka,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0is a Danish professional footballer<\/a> who plays as a centre back<\/a> for the Premier League<\/a> club Huddersfield Town<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Born to a Danish<\/a> mother and a Gambian<\/a> father, J\u00f8rgensen moved to FC Copenhagen<\/a> from neighbouring club B.93<\/a>, where he had played in first team matches even at the young age of 16. He signed a three-year contract with FCK on 26 June 2007.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Before signing with the Danish<\/a> champions, he had visited Arsenal<\/a> for a one-week trial.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>On 21 July 2007, J\u00f8rgensen strained the inner ligament in the left knee in a reserve team match \u2013 less than a month after he moved to the club.\u00a0<\/span>On 9 September, he played again for the reserve team.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0His first team debut came on 26 September 2007 in a cup<\/a> match against FC Fredericia<\/a>. He substituted Oscar Wendt<\/a> 5 minutes before full-time, in the match FCK won 3\u20131.\u00a0\u00a0Three days later he got his Superliga<\/a> debut, this time replacing Hjalte N\u00f8rregaard<\/a> about 15 minutes before full-time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>Only 8 days after his first team debut, J\u00f8rgensen was thrown on pitch in the extra time<\/a> of the UEFA Cup<\/a> first round second leg at Parken Stadium<\/a> against RC Lens<\/a>, after captain Michael Gravgaard<\/a> had received a red card. He was substituted for Marcus Allb\u00e4ck<\/a> and played in the central defence together with Brede Hangeland<\/a>, and they prevented any more goals for Lens, when they were 10 against 11.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 19 November 2008, he made his debut for the Danish national football team<\/a> in a friendly against Wales<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>After Roland Nilsson<\/a> became manager for Copenhagen<\/a> he became captain for “The Lions”. 22 February 2012 it was announced that J\u00f8rgensen would join Dutch club PSV Eindhoven<\/a> on a free transfer during the summer transfer window.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/sup>J\u00f8rgensen was featured in an unofficial pre-season tournament, The Polish Masters, in July 2012 and scored his first goal for PSV in their game against S.L. Benfica<\/a>on 22 July. However, he struggled to break into PSV’s first XI and only played 14 matches for the club over the course of two years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He received his nickname from the movie Cool Runnings<\/a>, where one of the main characters is named Sanka (played by Doug E. Doug<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span>Mathias J\u00f8rgensen’s nickname was coined by Johan Lange back in 2000, while both Lange and J\u00f8rgensen were still at B.93<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Lange would go on to be one of the assistant managers during Zanka’s first time at F. C. Copenhagen, and he would later serve as the Technical Director when Zanka returned to the club in 2014.<\/sup>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“You know, before that tournament, I was just a fan of Neymar, like everybody else. He’s an incredible footballer, which everyone knows. But getting to really know him during that time\u2026 it was so special, because of the kind of person he is. The way that he treats everybody surprised me a lot \u2014 because even in the short amount of time that I’ve lived in football, I’ve seen so many guys who are not even amazing players, who haven’t won anything, being mascarado<\/em>. This means a person who wears a mask. They’re one way to the public, and another in the dressing room. But with Neymar, he treated everybody like his brother. He was a huge reason that we were able to come together and ignore the pressure and play for one another.”<\/strong>
\nGabriel Jesus <\/em>on Neymar and the Men\u2019s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016, in conversation with the Players\u2019 Tribune<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“I first fell in love with football when I was a kid, around seven or eight years old. I remember watching the Champions League all the time and then trying to be like the Brazilian Ronaldo, Zidane and Totti when playing out in the street with my friends. I loved those kinds of players, players who played with magic.”<\/strong>
\nEgypt international Mohamed Salah tells Liverpool FC\u2019s official website about his childhood footballing heroes<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Tite has been able to introduce quality to this Brazil team. Looking at how they have been playing, at everything that has been achieved, there are expectations again now with Brazil playing so well. Now comes a World Cup, however, and a World Cup is a very difficult thing, I participated in two and there are a lot of difficulties to overcome, but this Sele\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em> is prepared.\u00a0I do not like to say that Brazil are the favourite. Are we the favourite? No. We are a favourite. There are other teams that are also doing well. Germany, Spain, and I would say Portugal too. There are some very good players in the Belgium team and you always have to keep an eye on France. But I do think Brazil have set their sights on the title.”<\/strong>
\n1994 World Cup winner Ricardo Rocha discusses Brazil\u2019s chances at Russia 2018 with Goal<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“The difference is hard to explain, but I think I’m more experienced, more wise, more ‘cascudo<\/em>‘, as we say in Brazil. This is because I had many experiences, I participated in a World Cup where we lost and I think I’ll be more prepared for the next one, because I know what it’s like to be in a World Cup, I can be better prepared. So the Neymar in 2018 is better than the Neymar in 2014.”<\/strong>
\nBrazil’s Neymar explains the differences between himself now compared to when the forward was starring for the host nation at Brazil 2014<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s amazing, something I\u2019m very proud of. It\u2019s been a crazy journey. I can\u2019t wait to see what\u2019s going to happen in the next few months. I\u2019m just really excited about starting the new year. I think I\u2019m ready to make another step, and hopefully some success will come with that.”<\/strong>
\nBorussia Dortmund’s Christian Pulisic on being named USA men\u2019s player of the year, the youngest player to receive the award, speaking to\u00a0viewers on a Facebook live cast on US Soccer’s official page<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Of course we got lucky with the Draw. There are no easy matches at this level, but we could have got much stronger opponents and it could have been much harder for us to qualify for the next round. Make no doubt, Russia will be a success at the World Cup. We just need the whole country to get behind us.”<\/strong>
\nRussia forward Fedor Smolov reflects on the host nation’s World Cup draw<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“This is my role here. To teach the young players who have a good potential to grow. The only thing they need is someone to guide them in the right direction. One thing is to play in your country but if\u00a0you go outside you get out of your comfort zone. Hopefully one day, young Indian players here can go to Europe.\u00a0If you want to test yourself, you want to play against the best. It is the fourth year for this league now. It is so early, you can only grow from here. It is going to be a long road. As long as you try to do the right thing, everything will be fine. It will be good to see someone from India play in a big club in Europe.”<\/strong>
\nSpeaking to the media, Kerala Blasters’ forward\u00a0Dimitar Berbatov talks football in India<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve heard it said that I\u2019m silencing the critics so many times but it\u2019s not that: I don\u2019t have to prove myself to anyone. I don\u2019t play for the critics, I play for my team-mates. For three, four years I haven\u2019t listened to anything. People always talk and always will. \u2018He\u2019s good now because he\u2019s at Bar\u00e7a<\/em>\u2019, \u2018He was only good then because he was in China\u2019, blah, blah, blah. When I was at Bragantino and I went to Corinthians it was the same; it was the same at Tottenham and in China. I\u2019ve had that since the beginning.”<\/strong>
\nBarcelona midfielder Paulinho talks about silencing any of his critics, speaking with The Guardian<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to run and celebrate with the lads but I couldn’t do that. He (the ball boy) was the only one there. It was great to see him because I needed to celebrate with somebody and it just so happened it was the ball boy.”<\/strong>
\nBristol City manager Lee Johnson on celebrating with a ball boy after the Robins\u2019 late winner against giants Manchester United In the English League Cup<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“I watched Gabriel Jesus play three years ago. I watched Mbappe for a year. I was watching them with the scout and it was a no-brainer. It was just like, ‘Get them.’ It would have been \u00a35 million or something — get them, loan them back — and that’s where the recruitment could have been better.”<\/strong>
\nRyan Giggs\u00a0tells The Times that he tried to get Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to sign Kylian Mbappe and Gabriel Jesus during his time as assistant coach<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a0Neymar takes Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe out for a spin during the French club’s tour of Qatar<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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