I've always hated to lose and I continue to hate it. But I've been obliged to accept it because I also have had some crushing defeats.

Players like me, we did something of a thankless job. You don't show a hard tackle or stripping someone of possession in slow motion on the big screen. But if you add it all up, I was always the one that the coaches wrote down automatically on the lineup card.

When there are hard times, the trend is to question yourself and to dig deep but when things go well you shouldn't relax and think things come easy or you need to put in less effort.

Football is my passion.

You can't win anything more special than a World Cup.

My past as a player is strongly linked to the red, white and blue France shirt.

There are a lot of things you can practise to unsettle teams that defend deep.

I am not a very good dancer.

All are welcome in sport.

We can always play better.

You have to live in your times.

That's what international football is all about - be able to bounce after a bad performance.

We want to be the best we can.

Those friendly games are not pointless. They enable us to go forward.

Each member of the team must feel important - everyone must make my life and choices difficult.

It is up to the players and their advisers to see what is best for the player.

Continuity is very important for national teams.

He might not be very tall, but he's very useful. Kante wins balls, has great transition play, can be found everywhere, and always has solutions.

We can't really look back and see what is in the rear-view mirror. This is not how you are going to move forward.

In football, you don't hold on to the ball just to hold on to the ball. When you have it you need to be dangerous, create opportunities and score goals. And when you don't, you make sure the opposition doesn't.

At the highest level, if you don't have a solid defensive base, you can't get by. In one match, yes. But over a whole competition? No.

It's hard to evolve when you only have fifteen days or three weeks to practice and correct and change tactics.

For me, the goal is to make the most of each player, play them in the position they feel best in. And then repeat, repeat, repeat.

I give no quarter, and I ask for none. Out there, I'm going to fight for my team and do the best I can.

I have always seen Drogba as the example to follow in terms of a centre-forward. He was strong and scored loads of goals, and he was a quality player.

In life, anything can happen, and I do not close the door to anything.

Chelsea's fans love me a lot, even more than in Atletico. Figure that!

Jose Mourinho has been really clear about what he expects from me, saying he wants me working hard rather than just scoring. Hard work is what he values.

Football is my life, and I cannot imagine myself doing anything other than playing this game.

I started playing football on the streets; I grew up playing football on the streets with my friends, and that's why I was brought up the way I was. That's the school I had - the street football.

In England, the referees don't call many fouls, as opposed to Spanish football. Consequently, you must be really strong all through the 90 minutes.

I am Brazilian, and that is not going to change, but I want to win the World Cup with Spain.

I want to win and always have done since I was small. I don't know if it's in my blood or just my personality.

Everyone has to be their own critic.

I haven't done great things for Spain - I can't lie - but when I play well, they should say so. They criticise me for my character, but I also have quality.

When we go to the pitch, that's all we want to do - we want to win - and when the game finishes, if you win, you go home happy.

My mindset is always to be victorious, to win the match.

Scoring goals is scoring goals. From a striker's point of view, the aim is the same.

In Brazil, if you have a son, the first thing you give him is a football. That's the first gift - so my dad was no different.

I'm no angel. You can see that. But every time I play, I will play the same way because that's the way I am.

I have a go at defenders, and they have a go at me. We argue... Whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch.

I wished I could go back to Atletico; I'm not going to lie.

Life has many turns.

I have to be scoring goals and playing well to get in the team because, if not, others who are in better form will play.

There are managers who always say what people want to hear. I think that's not good.

I'd rather have someone who tells me straight up what happens rather than sweet things that I want to hear.

Always, when things don't go the way that everyone expects, people - the supporters as well - always look for someone to blame. In some cases, they blame the players.

I think it's really important for managers to be liked by his players because ultimately, on the pitch, those players will give everything for their manager.

When a game comes around, that's the time to be serious. During the week, the training sessions are serious, but away from there, you have to relax and switch off.

It's important to be right physically.