Jan Vertonghen Quotes

I've always really just liked football, and I've always devoted a lot of time to it. When I was a kid, my friends would call me to go out with them, but I would stay home because I had practice the next day.

I understood I had to be good at school so I could play football in my free time. Usually, by the time I came home from school, I already had all my things ready for the next day, so I could put my bag on the side and go straight out to play football with my friends!

Football is still the most important thing. It keeps me focused and driven every day and that takes me on to be the best dad, son, and friend.

When I was growing up, I was focused on football and school.

I always put my boxing first.

Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete.

The two most important things in my life were academics and sports. I had to do my schoolwork first.

I have always been very dedicated to tennis, and it's true that I made some compromises in my life. For example, I never went out to parties when I was younger, and I spent less time with friends.

I have been working or attending school full time since I was 13.

I am smarter because I stayed in school, and I am a better football player.

I have a good understanding that baseball is not the most important thing in the world, but at the same time you want to get a hit.

Since I was 9 years old, I've been training to be a champion.

I got good grades. I played sports.

To graduate in four years as a student-athlete with no summer school is quite a feat.

Just do your schoolwork, focus on a sport if you're good at it, do what I did.

School for me has always been a really great balance with the skating.

I gave a lot for football because I wanted to be as professional as possible.

When you lose things like football, which is the game I love - and this is the most important thing in my life - it really puts everything in perspective.

I didn't make the most of school, but boxing has given me discipline.

During the off-season when you see other people playing in the Super Bowl, you wonder, and you say to yourself, 'Are you ever gonna get there and see what it feels like?' And it pushes you a little bit harder during that off-season to work to try to get there the following year.

Football teaches you hard work. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to have spectacular results in both business and football.

My parents pushed us very hard to work, both in the home, doing chores and cooking, and at school.

The discipline required for athletics carried through to writing. You call it obsession. I call it discipline. By the way, I see nothing wrong with that.

The most important thing about skating is that it teaches you to do the things you should do before you do the things you want to do.

One thing I always tell people. If you want to be gold medalist, you partner one.