Football Admiration Quotes

Neymar has been an idol of mine since childhood. I've always tried to mirror myself in the way he plays, and I've also tried imitating some of his haircuts.

I love Messi. I also derive inspiration from the god of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar.

I always idolized guys like Deion Sanders, Barry Sanders, Steve Young and the entire 49ers team, really. I was a huge 49ers fan growing up.

I really admire Zinedine Zidane and Frank Lampard. They are really skilful, and I like the way they shoot from distance.

I'm Argentine, and that's why I admire Messi most.

When I was young, I looked up to Andriy Shevchenko. He was so elegant, and on the pitch as well.

I would love to have played with David Silva.

As a kid, you'd look at all these guys in the NFL and almost idolize them.

It's a mutual respect, especially a player like Neymar, a player of a similar age to me and someone I've got massive respect for what he's done in world football.

I'd have to say Thierry Henry. From the ages of ten to 16, watching him in the Premier League was amazing and he scored all different types of goals - free-kicks, volleys, left foot, right foot. He was entertaining. He's probably the best centre-forward, I think, to play in the Premier League.

My parents were not big sports fans, but my mother loved Barry Sanders, but she wasn't a huge fan. Now she likes Calvin Johnson. He's such an amazing athlete and such a wonderful, humble guy.

If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes.

The one player I have looked up to since I was a kid is Ryan Giggs.

I'd give all the champagne I've ever drunk to be playing alongside him in a big European match at Old Trafford.

In my position, I've always admired Claude Makelele. I grew up watching him play. I was able to play against him in the final stages of his career. I have always liked his way of playing football, and given my position and style, he's been a mirror to compare myself against.

I know my football. And I adore football players. The crashing noise of a tackle, the huddle grunting, and the roar of the crowd are music to my ears.

When I was younger, I saw Moutinho playing, and he was very good.

I respect and admire the Premier League.

There is not a chance that I could have a difference with Alessandro Del Piero.

Just naming Batistuta gives me goosebumps!

I respect all the keepers like Manuel Neuer, Gianluigi Buffon and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Anyone who watches football and watches Tottenham play would have to be an admirer of the way they play football and the way they go about their business.

Carlos Valderrama was the one I admired most, really. At the time, he was a top player, and I had a lot of admiration for him. I met him once, and he's a great person, someone who provided the country with a lot of joy. He was a very intelligent footballer who could create something out of nothing as well as score goals.

I loved the style of Wenger, and I admired players like Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.

I don't know if my perspective is different because my dad played but I've always admired footballers: second division players, second division B players.