Mats Hummels Quotes

I am still young and being the [England] squad is really good for me although I've still got a lot to learn.

I got into pro ball at 18 and played until I was almost 39, non-stop.

I worked hard in gymnastics since the time I was six years old until I retired at 23 years of age.

The decision to retire was quite an easy one for me because by that stage my knees were so badly gone. If I had been like Martina Navratilova and my body had let me I would have carried on playing a lot longer.

Nothing extraordinary happens to a cricketer if you time his career - which is very short.

You don't dominate any sport when you're over 40.

I played professional level sports. When you're playing for money, it's a whole other level.

I always wanted to be a professional athlete, it just took me a while to realise it would be in racing. I played field hockey competitively for Ontario since I was 13, 14. Then I tried for the national side and made it. But it was so competitive. The girls were just so big and strong. I was getting crushed.

In track years... track is not like other sports. You do have track athletes that stay in this sport until, like, 35, 36, but I think when you get to 28, it's really difficult.

England is nice. I always said that if I was playing games for United consistently and playing well I'd have a chance of getting back in.

Ideally, I want to get out of the sport at least when I'm 30-31. I don't want to be one of those guys who stays around too long, so I want to get as many fights in as I can.

I think, at 32, you are past your prime as a footballer.

What one does in one's club is what determines whether one gets called up for the national team.

It was tough to quit football. But after I was injured, I didn't want people paying money to see only half a John Matuszak.

I've always dreamed of being a professional athlete.

Being able to play at club level at a high level and then getting called into the national team, it's amazing.

I knew I was going to be a sportsman.

That's a very privileged job and I love it with all my heart. I'm planning on playing my best volleyball to date throughout 2016 and certainly during the Olympics.

While I dealt with my share of injuries throughout my career, I was fortunate to have been healthy for the majority of our run in the 1990s. The same can be said about Michael Jordan.

To say a player is past it at 29, 30 isn't right.

Hopefully I can play until I'm 40.

I realise every swimmer has a shelf life. No, I haven't given any thought to when I will retire, but I also know I won't be able to swim forever.

I am never not going to want to play for England so I don't care how old I am. If I am doing well I hope I am going to get picked.

It is everyone's dream to play for England and we have got a lot of top players in that midfield and lot of competition. For me to break in there, I have got to keep the form up for club at the top level.

Before I was a manager, I was a player for 11 years.