I've said it once: I would love to someday play in La Liga at one of the greats. I see their league each week. It suits my style.
I gave my first interview when I arrived at Chelsea in 2004, and I had said that it had been my dream to play for one of the best clubs in the world and in the best league in the world - this came true, and I am very pleased my dream will last.
Did I ever think at the time, when I was with the Alouettes and the Chicago Blitz, that I would be head-coaching a team in the Super Bowl? It would be hard to believe. Is it a dream come true? Yes.
My first club was FT Gern. I joined through my parents and friends. My father played for them and a friend from nursery school took me to training once. I was five at the time.
I've been promoted, relegated, won big trophies, gone months without scoring, played for my country at World Cups, been bought, sold, loaned, and called 'a freak.'
Since that moment in Houston where I fractured my collarbone, I've experienced a lot more experiences in the NFL than I had up to that point. A lot of them great, some of them not so great.
Like so many of the players, I started at La Masia at the age of 11. I can't ever imagine not playing for Barcelona, let alone not playing soccer for a career. I don't ever want to play anywhere else.
At 17, I already had responsibility because I took care of my family, but in the football I was young; I wasn't experienced or the captain - I was just in the team.
The tattoos are about my grandmother dying, and they tell the story about my mother and father, my brothers and my sister, my kids. It's pretty much a family tree on my arm with my life in football, too.
My feelings towards Manchester City will never change; I'm eternally grateful to them as a football club. They took me as a 19-year-old boy from Shrewsbury Town, took somewhat of a punt on me, and I've had some fantastic times.
Nicholas Anelka - 24 years of age but he's been around a lot longer than that
I was at Arsenal as an 11-year-old. I really enjoyed it but I was at school and my dad used to drive me there after work. Sometimes we were in traffic for two hours. They wanted to keep me but I wasn't getting home until nearly 11 P. M. I loved it there but it wasn't right, so I came to West Ham and haven't looked back.
I really put the medical school thing on hold and really chased after my football dream. And I guess I'm still chasing. I'm eight years in the NFL, and I feel very fortunate to be where I am.
There would have been no Barcelona, and a lot of other things besides, for me if I hadn't signed for Celtic.
I have had a wonderful time. I don't think things could have gone any better for me because I was football-mad as a boy, and to get a job watching the game and going to all the major events I have been to has been very rewarding.
It's not a secret. Everybody knows that it was a special place for me there when I was playing with the Eagles. I started there, they kinda changed my life for the better.
I'm going from Somerset Park one week to Wembley the next. It's crazy but that's football. You don't get to where you want to be without going through all these different places.
As a child, I always wanted to come to the Premier League, so when I made the move, I was very happy. Chelsea were on the up - they were doing really good - so I was very excited, and in the end, everything went well here for me.
I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.
When I left the club, I said in an interview that my chapter with Borussia Dortmund was not over. I just wanted to realize my dream of playing in the Premier League.
I got my first football when I was two and played my first proper game before I was five. So nothing else was ever an option!
Being a part of the NFL for 30 years was a blessing.
I'm grateful to Fulham for allowing me to come back on loan, where it all kind of started for me in Europe.
When I signed for Lyon, I pictured myself lifting the Champions League trophy, and I don't think that has ever changed.
I had a great time in the NFL. To make it in the amount of time that I did was awesome; it's a dream come true, and hell, it gave me the opportunity to go wrestle.
