- We [himself and Roy Keane] had similar qualities as players. We were both determined, we wanted to win, and we were both leaders of our teams. That's why I always loved to play against him. [...] Despite the rivalry, there has always been respect between us. We challenged ourselves, we battled, but we always retained respect for each other.
- There is racism in football, as there is in normal life, but I have never experienced any racism myself the whole time I've been in England. There's a special tolerance here in London. And Spain? Well, what happened to Thierry [when Henry was insulted by Spain manager Luis Aragonés] and to Ashley [Cole] and the others while playing for England, was a disgrace. But you have to ask yourself this: do you stop your dream of going to Spain because of some stupid people? The answer is no.
- [on founding a football academy in Senegal] It was important for me to reconnect with Senegal, to go back and start a project there. I wanted to do something for the country and to use football - everyone loves football there - as a means to educate kids. They have to learn that only hard work can bring them success. At first there were kids at the institute who could not read or write. Now there is progress. They can read books and write stories - and then play football. We tell them how hard it is to become a professional footballer. Perhaps only one or two of them will succeed. That's why their education matters. We pay for them to come to university in Europe. They can then go back to Senegal to run businesses and to make a better future.
- I don't know my Dad. This is a part of my life I don't want to talk about.
- Ruud van Nistelrooy is a cheat and a coward who is sneaky in the way he goes about fouling other players. Everyone thinks he is a nice guy but, in fact, he's a son of a bitch. He has a history of incidents that all too often have gone unnoticed. He has punched Freddie Ljungberg and elbowed Lauren. At Arsenal, we hated him and had real reason to do so. He's a great player, but everything about him annoys me. I was sent off at Old Trafford because of him. I got shafted. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. He tried to stamp on me and then he made more of the challenge than he should have done. I am not blaming the referee. He got shafted too.
- I started it [the Highbury tunnel incident]. (laughs) I was cool, was really calm, I was smiling at him [Roy Keane]... and then he lost it.
- [reacting to France losing to Senegal at the 2002 world cup] Slightly mixed feelings.
- [Apart from one or two racist incidents in matches abroad, I have] never suffered as a result of my skin colour.
- [on being so nervous about visiting Senegal he put off his return for 20 years] I dreaded the thought that I might disappoint those people who had waited all this time for me.
- [on meeting his former neighbours in Senegal again after 20 years] I was embarrassed, ill at ease.
- [When I was named captain of France, my mother and grandfather] were the two happiest people on earth.
- When I first arrived [in London] I was impressed when watching television that there were people of all colours and races on it - that doesn't happen in France or Italy.
- I was always hanging out with my teammates at our favourite café in the middle of Hampstead, surrounded by shoppers, and no one ever bothered us.
- [Martin Keown] told me off once, for kissing a rival player in the tunnel before a game. It is the French culture to do that, but not for Martin! He went crazy. Playing with him, playing with that group of Arsenal players, they taught me to win. I had good teachers.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content