“I’ve achieved everything I wanted to and I’m grateful for that. Of course, I would have loved to have played more with Messi, he’s a great player and I’m very glad to have helped him at the beginning of his career with the assist for his first goal. Messi is a great player and the Argentina national team is a great team, I believe they have a real chance of winning the next World Cup. He demonstrates that he’s the best every day. Week-in-week-out he keeps playing at such a level that demonstrates how good he really is, so there’s no real need for him to show any more at the World Cup. But as my friend I always wish him the best as I do all of my friends.” **Ronaldinho discusses his one career regret with Gulf News - not getting to play more with Messi

"The 30 days I had there were probably the best of my life. It was unbelievable. I'd dreamed that one day we could win a big tournament like that. But the whole thing, and beating Brazil in the final, was just fantastic. It's a time in my life I know I'll never forget." Serbia’s Marko Grujic looks back with FIFA.com on their FIFA U-20 World Cup heroics at New Zealand 2015

"As a player at Barcelona, they wanted to get rid of Pep because they thought he was a lanky great beanpole who couldn't defend, who had no strength and couldn't do anything in the air. So he was blamed for all the things he wasn't good at, while I thought they were all things he could learn to do well. What all those people didn't see was that Guardiola had the fundamental qualities needed at the top level: speed of action, technique, insight." Barcelona and Netherlands legend Johan Cruyff, who died earlier this year, writing in his recently released autobiography

“I knew nothing about football before knowing Cruyff. I thought I knew about football – but then I started to work with him and a new world opened up in front of me.” **Guardiola on his mentor, when promoting the book

"He has always been a street-fighter, he's given 100 per cent, he would get in the box and would score goals – I always rated him very highly. I don't think he is the same sort of player now.  But I've got to say, if he actually plays the way we know Wayne Rooney plays and he surpasses my record I will be the first one to shake his hand, pat him on the back and say 'well done' because for a striker that is fantastic." England record cap-holder Peter Shilton discusses current captain Wayne Rooney in FourFourTwo magazine

“Not in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine experiencing something like this at 38 years of age, and after only three years as a coach. I’m over the moon!” FIFA Futsal World Cup-winning coach Diego Guistozzi reacts to Argentina’s triumph at Colombia 2016

"I think I still have more to do to be their equal, starting with winning titles. They've won them and they keep winning them. But as I've said in the past, I want to sit at their table. And I think I'm getting there, bit by bit. I hope to stay there as long as possible." **Antoine Griezmann in conversation with L'Equipe on matching Messi and Ronaldo

"Totti is god in Rome. Gerrard is 'Captain Fantastic' in Liverpool. They're different players. Gerrard was the more complete player. He had everything - power, stamina, shooting, heading, passing - and can play in different positions. Totti was a god. Technically he was a genius, tactically he was very good. He's a great person and��gave his all on the pitch. They're the two best players I've played with.“ **John Arne Riise discusses two of the modern game's most revered captains with Goal.com

“Honestly, it really wasn’t just a hit-and-hope. I’d played it out in my mind beforehand; I saw that the goalkeeper was off her line a little. I don’t know what that goal’s worth, but I know that it’s created all this happiness that we’re feeling right now.”* Deyna Castellanos on her crucial halfway-line winner for Venezuela against Cameroon at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016

"The trust honours me, but currently there is no need for . Now I am looking first of all for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. I have a high basic motivation in me. For me, 2014 as an incentive. I want to defend this title." Germany coach Joachim Low on wanting to retain the FIFA World Cup™

“I’ve always considered Florence as my girlfriend. I don’t have to explain my love for this city. I felt terrible when I went to Roma, because I hadn’t fulfilled the expectations of the Florentines.” Fiorentina legend Gabriel Batistuta discusses his love for the Tuscan city after receiving honorary citizenship there

“I walked into the canteen, and he introduced me, and everybody just looked around. The whole room went quiet and I was standing there like a lemon with the ; I didn’t know what to do. There was silence for about 30 seconds, and it felt like an hour. Then this fella gets up off his chair and walks straight over and says  “Congratulations Mr Doherty”. I was shaking, I was looking up because he was so much taller than me and all I could say was, “Thank you Mr. Cantona.” Once he came up everyone followed suit.” Former World Snooker Champion and Manchester United fan Ken Doherty,as told to The Guardian

“We had belief. English football always had a big influence on Icelandic football, so we were playing against players we probably watched on a Saturday. This is something Lars Lagerback pointed out. in recent years we are playing against the most overrated national team side - looking back it is true. I don't think we can say we outplayed England but we were more resilient, had more character and showed a greater togetherness as a team - that's what got us where we ended up.” Iceland’s Eidur Gudjohnsen reflects on their win over England at UEFA EURO 2016 with BBC Sport

"The best goalkeeper in history can make mistakes too, otherwise he'd be a machine. I'd have preferred he made a mistake for Juventus rather than Italy, but you can't have everything!" **Daniele De Rossi is in forgiving mood when reflecting on Gianluigi Buffon’s uncharacteristic error against Spain in Russia 2018 qualifying with Rai Sport

“He who believes that by winning these games we have become a super team is dreaming, is delusional.” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarezfollowing their win over Venezuela in Russia 2018 qualifying

“It was all very surprising. It was two or three in the morning, midweek. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be there. Maybe just a couple of local journalists at the most. “It would have been normal if nothing had happened at all. When you arrive at the airport and you see all those people and all those cameras and flags, it really warms your heart.” *Gael Andonianrecalls arriving in Armenia for the first time ahead of his debut in conversation with FIFA.com*