"I couldn't sleep. I said to myself, as soon as the shop opens I've got to be there. I have no words to describe what it means that Ansu inherits the 10 from Leo Messi. Remarkable, no-one could have imaged this, genuinely. It’s crazy. It’s such an emotional moment that must be guarded forever.” Bori Fati after being the first person in the Barcelona club shop to buy eight of his son’s shirts for family members [Deportes Cuatro]
“Mourinho is insane. With me he was always a good guy. He fought with anyone though, he didn’t give a f***. One time he fought with Ronaldo telling him he didn’t run, that everyone ran for him.” Angel Di Maria [Libero]
“Our rooms were filthy. We ate the same food three times a day. The showers had no hot water. Outside, local gangs would try to rob us. But the worst part was when the cleaning lady stopped working. There’s no pretty way of saying this but, when you go to the toilet, right? And you do number two? If you threw paper in the toilet, it could get stuck, so you threw it in a bin. But when the bin wasn’t emptied for several weeks, well… yeah, you get the idea. This was my football camp in Guabiruba, Brazil. I was living more than 100 miles away from my family. I was 13 years old, man. Thirteen.” Jorginho [The Players' Tribune]
"I like Jack Grealish, he's a talented footballer, but for £100m, what is Son worth? He scores more, more assists. He's an unselfish player, works hard, great attitude, always smiling, enjoys the game, and he scores goals and creates goals. He must be a nightmare to play against. He comes at you again and again. He is a top-class player. I'm surprised that your Real Madrids, Man Citys, Man Uniteds haven't knocked on the door.” Chris Waddle on Son Heungmin [Goal]
"When we got promoted one of the coaches said he was proud of how hard I worked considering my dad was a billionaire. I was like, ‘What are you on about?’ He believed, like a lot of people, that my dad was something to do with JCB, which is a myth. I don't [speak four languages]. People have invented a lot of things. As for Harvard, I wasn’t sure I was going to get a pro [football] contract, so I had to go through the process as well. But I didn’t want to go to university in England. I wanted to do a football scholarship in America so my dad put the feelers out. That was how Harvard came with their offer. But football was always my first love. It sounds weird to say I turned Harvard down, but I was never really interested.” Patrick Bamford on his supposed privileged background [press conference] “Van Dijk made such a difference to Liverpool when he came in there. This boy could be a Rolls Royce like him. He moves like him.” Tim Sherwood on Rapahel Varane
“This achievement rewards an outstanding career of almost two decades representing your country at the highest level, which speaks of your tremendous commitment and dedication to your art and your incredible passion for football. In the process of breaking the record for the number of goals in men’s international football, you have become not only a national hero but an international icon and a role model for aspiring players all around the world. Your skills and consistent drive for improvement deserves global acclaim and admiration. Parabéns, Cristiano!” FIFA President Gianni Infantino on record-breaking Cristiano Ronaldo