Gary Lineker Quotes

I'm always learning, especially with the different formations. It will help me in the long run to maybe become a forward player - on the wing or something.

I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I follow the sport. I played in high school, a little bit in college, played on various club teams most of my life, and all three of my sons are competitive soccer players and far better than I ever was.

I played soccer when I was a kid. I started when I was 8 and played for 8 more years. I was pretty good. I used to train with Atletico Nacional, which is one of the most important teams in Colombia. I used to train every day.

Germany is where I had to become a true professional. They play in big games when they are young. We could model some of our soccer system after what they do.

It's funny: one of the strongest parts of my game today is heading, and that only really developed when I started playing at the professional level. In the youth teams, all we did was passing.

My dad had a soccer school that he used to run, the Mark Chamberlain Soccer Academy, I used to go to that for two years until the age of seven.

All three of my kids play soccer. Each one of them started from the time they were about 5 or 6, and we just love it.

I've played soccer since I was five.

I think it's a natural progression: a lot of centre-backs start wide when they're young and move inside.

These technical flicks and tricks come naturally to me and I don't really think about them. I did a backheel against Udinese and the coach would've strangled me if he could have!

When I was growing up, I played a lot of soccer. I always wanted to be a good soccer player.

Playing soccer is what I've done and known all my life, starting at such a young age with my friends.

I have a lot of experience at Under-21 level, so hopefully that can show in my performances.

I played soccer and could have probably made it to the top league.

When I played for Boston Breakers in my early twenties, I really stepped up my training, which meant running drills until you're sick.

I started going training with Southampton, and they were selecting the team for the under-9s. I did a six-week trial and got in. I was quite lucky to play at a good standard from a very young age.

I really want to try soccer after I retire because I've watched football over the years and I think I could be a good contender.

I think where we're still a little bit behind some other countries is just our pure soccer knowledge and our savvy on the field. That takes time and generations that have watched soccer growing up, played the game growing up.

I've always thought it would be interesting to give insight on soccer because I have a lot of experience in my career.

I started playing soccer at age 6 and played both outfield and goalie. Back then, no one wanted to go on goalie - coaches would make deals with me so I'd do it. It's a tough position as a kid.

The Premier League is probably the best in the world so if you have a lot of players who play well there, it's normal that they are going to grow as players.

Of course you want to coach in the Bundesliga when you move into coaching.

I don't have to prepare any differently because it's Messi, because every day in training I am up against people like Rooney, Berbatov, Ronaldo, and Tevez, so you know what to do against big players.

Kids in Africa start kicking a ball when they are six or seven years old, if not younger. It's like baseball, basketball and football in America. If you're talented, people will find you. That's what happened with soccer. The number of academies has grown rapidly, and people are really into it.

I always had a soccer ball with me. I could never stop. As young as I can remember, my dad was always throwing a soccer ball at me.