Leonardo Bonucci Quotes

I think defending is more of, like, a science, and it's fun to learn that. And then I see attacking as an art.

For me football is more about making the right pass at the right time.

There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring. In the tactical area, I think I just have more than most other players.

My game was always about good defence.

You need to be able to defend. It's massively important, and at Arsenal, we've sometimes been guilty of forgetting that.

Soccer is simple, but it is difficult to play simple.

Football is about joy. It's about dribbling. I favour every idea that makes the game beautiful. Every good idea has to last.

Rather than opera, football is more like ballet or a chess game. You can really see it in a team like Arsenal, especially when Dennis Bergkamp was playing. He seemed to be able to read the game like a chessboard and knew where a player would be several seconds later and put the ball there for him.

I am not a player who goes on mazy runs - I like to defend. I like to do a job for the team.

I know when I step into midfield I have to sharpen my feet up and be more aware of what's around me, at centre back it's more about timing, positioning and communication.

Every player has his way of playing.

I do like to play and pass the ball. But first and foremost I see myself as a defender: blocking, tackling, heading.

Being a physical specimen doesn't mean you're any good at playing inside. Positioning, using your head, the mental stuff - that's my game. That's what makes a good inside player.

The key is developing your game in both directions: in the build-up, joining the attack at the right moment and also in defence. You have to win the one-on-one situations and need the required pace and technique. These are the decisive factors for a defender.

I always felt defense was a big part of my game.

Sometimes you watch a tournament with a point system, and it's not the best fighter that wins. It's the guy who scores more points and then he runs away and hides.

I've always looked up to John Terry; he's a massive defender and a rock. His one-v-one defending and reading of the game have really educated me. I watch a lot of clips of him.

A backheel is good if it works, not if it disrespects the opponents.

Whenever I play, red ball or white ball, I utilise whatever knowledge I have of the game.

Soccer can be very subtle; it's a very nuanced sport. If I happen to make things easy and people don't see it, that could be a reason why someone might stand out more than I do. But that's just the way I've grown up playing the game.

When you haven't got the ball, while we're defending, sometimes I am not always where I need to be.

I don't want to become a player who spends half his time running round after the breakdown, because that won't get the best out of me.

I like to get the ball down and play, but I can always get stuck in and hold my own.

Pitching is both an art and a science.

Part of the art of bowling spin is to make the batsman think something special is happening when it isn't.