Mauro Icardi Quotes

Lionel Messi is a wonderful player. Very skillful. Highly intelligent. He is not good in the air.

It is very hard to find a good defender who is strong and good with the ball. Very hard.

Dybala's game is easier on the eye, but Pogba is extraordinary because he has physicality and technique.

I know people say you have to be big and strong to play in the Premier League, but you cannot just judge a player by their size. You have to look at their other qualities, too.

Samir Nasri is a very technical player who always made the difference playing as a midfielder when he is fit.

I was certainly no Maradona. I was a very fast player. When I saw a space, I used it. When I went past somebody, he didn't catch up with me again. I was a player who came with a run-up. What Maradona could see in a small space, I saw over long distances.

I like to take a little bit from every midfielder I have played against, whether it's physically, technically, tactically, just to try to improve my game.

Dembele likes to take players on. He's a dribbler and a power player who likes to break into space; he has the ability to do this. He has a lot of virtues.

I work on crossing the ball at pace. That's something that is not easy. And my first touch has improved, as has my understanding of the game.

There are a lot of great midfielders in the world, with each having their own unique style.

It is very important to be able to play with your feet, and deal with one-on-ones.

You need to beat a defender when you have the ball. You need to be able to successfully pass to a team-mate, and there are other attributes needed to be the complete player.

Cristiano - he has it all. He has a right foot, left foot, is good in the air, so quick.

Romario had the best first touch and the best pass to score a goal.

Playing in midfield is a different ball game. You have to be on the half-turn all the time, have a different picture in your head of what is behind you and in front of you. Playing at right-back is different again.

Look at the best dribblers in the world, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, and the ball seems to stick to their foot, so I can work on that when I am dribbling.

One of my friends, Bruno Andrade, was so quick, he just used to knock the ball past whoever he was playing against, and I thought, 'Why can't I do that?' Until then, I would try to dribble and maybe try a stepover, but Andre would just knock it then - beep, beep - and he was so fast, he would get there first.

I'm not someone who can do 10 stepovers or backheels - I'm not very interested in that. I'm more fascinated by the simplicity of play because the thing that makes this sport so beautiful.

I'd hate to be the sort of player who people just regard as being tall and only good for winning headers.

Guardiola likes footballers who can pass the ball, who have eyes for the best position and the right runs.

Messi is just an anomaly: he can dribble, he can score, he can pass, he has the vision, he understands the game.

More than anything I prefer the ball on the floor. I think I play my best football on the floor. There is a delicacy to this big giant.

A keeper can almost never catch my shots.

For me, David Silva is a fantastic player because his technique is incredible, and he understands when the right time to pass the ball is.

Neymar will never fail to have technique and creativity.