Andrea Pirlo

“Swearing's my release. It's the one weapon I have to defend myself against destiny when it elects to strike without pity.”

“It's the best thing that can happen to a player. Being able to play at the World Cup is already the best, but then to raise the trophy to the sky is a dream.”

“It's clear that anyone who plays in Belgium or another league with less quality still has a chance of making the Champions League or the Europa League.”

“As the years go by, you have to realise when it is the right time to do something different.”

“My favourite England player is Harry Kane.”

“After the wheel, the PlayStation is the best invention of all time.”

“In order to go all the way, you need everyone's contribution.”

“As a player, you just want to be at a club where you can achieve everything you want to.”

“When there is a solid base of Italian players, those who come in take their example, and then everyone is working in the same direction.”

“As a player, you get to the stage where you realise that you are not 25 anymore - and can't play the way you used to. The intelligent players adapt - and Steven Gerrard has the ability to do that. He is an excellent passer of the ball, possesses an intelligent football brain, and has great vision.”

“First objective is always that of winning.”

“The Ballon d'Or has never been something that I've missed.”

“I’ll never fully shake that sense of absolute impotence when destiny is at work. The feeling will cling to my feet forever, trying to pull me down. Even now if I mess up a pass, that malign force could be to blame. For that reason, I steer well clear of the DVD from the Liverpool game.”

“One part of my job I'll never learn to love is the pre-match warm-up. I hate it with every fibre of my being. It actually disgusts me.”

“In football, like in life, there are always millimetres which can change things - the course of a goal or of a life.”

“When you're rivals, you can never be friends.”

“I spent the afternoon of Sunday 9 July, 2006 in Berlin sleeping and playing the PlayStation. In the evening, I went out and won the World Cup.”

“I've always been able to play for the love of the sport.”

“I was lucky enough to play for the top three Italian clubs during the golden era of Italian football, so I have no regrets.”

“When you no longer feel part of the game, then you have to think about doing something else.”