I always have a football handy at home, and I'll play with it. Sometimes it'll get on my wife's nerves. But the moment I've got a ball at my feet, I'm happy.

In football you always get judged on your last game. Whoever you are, or how amazing you are, it's the last game that everyone has seen.

Sometimes in football you have to score goals.

To be a footballer was just a dream, and I don't believe in dreams. I only deal in what is real. To be honest, I've never thought about what I could get out of football or where it would take me. I just wanted to play. I'm the same now.

With Arsenal, we try straight away to hit the striker early. The earlier I get the ball the better.

And I don't really like golf. I know a lot of English footballers play, but I know that if I go with the club to play, sooner or later I will end up trying to smash the ball with my foot.