Diego Forlan

“I was very young at Manchester United, and I feel that I was just starting to find my feet when I was sold and Rooney was brought in.”

“I love the Copa America. It showcases all the classic rivalries of South America, all those neighbours, up against each other.”

“Uruguay is a small country but with a lot of football history. We've won so many things, and so the people are always expecting us to do good things.”

“All of the usual formations have advantages and disadvantages, but none would work without the magic of the players.”

“I am not saying that I am at the same level as Messi or Ronaldo. They are the best two players in the world, but I am very proud that I managed to finish above them in the goalscoring charts, especially as I was playing for Atletico Madrid, not Barcelona or Real Madrid.”

“Italy won the world title in 2006 and went out in the group phase in 2010 and 2014. They didn't make it beyond the first round. You don't win things because of your history, the shirt, or the names on the teamsheet.”

“I will never play in England again, but I still actually look back with fond memories at some moments.”

“My father played for Sao Paulo for several years. I played in Brazil, too, and made a lot of friends there.”

“People seem to love or hate Mourinho, but players tend to love him.”

“Sometimes, in the last minute, against big teams... you never expect you have the chance to win, but there is that 'garra' that everyone talks about.”

“I'd never thought of going to Japan, but the J-League came to me, and I could see that they wanted me to be part of the project. In the beginning, they said, 'We have two or three teams for you, although we cannot say which ones at the moment, but we want you as a player, as everything.'”

“Argentina produces great footballers, but Uruguay does the same.”

“Football is a really simple game, and the most important thing, in any formation, is that the players do their jobs, not the formation which they play in.”

“As a footballer, it can be enjoyable to do a proper interview where you trust the journalist to reproduce your thoughts.”

“People have high expectations of me, and I want to fulfil them.”

“I keep really fit.”

“Cristiano Ronaldo joined United a year after me. He was ultra-confident, with the talent to back it up. He was dedicated, too, and practised as hard as anyone after training. You could tell that he wanted to be a great player, the greatest.”

“There are no logical answers in football. That's just the way it goes.”

“I can't recall playing for a team who weren't involved in a fight for points at the end of the season. That would be strange for me.”

“I feel I have nothing to prove at all, my scoring rate in La Liga speaks for itself.”