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Saturday 18 February 2017, 11:31

The Week in Quotes

"It was a nice collective play that I was able to finish with my left foot, while my right boot was coming off. When I run to celebrate the goal with my team-mates, the boot was already off… so I just took it and threw it in the air. You don’t really know what you’re doing when you score…” Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata writes about his unique goal celebration in a 2-0 win over Watford in his blog

"There’s something I have to confess here: I’ve watched all the Champions League and EURO 2016 matches again, but I stopped at the semi-finals (laughs).” Atletico Madrid and France forward Antoine Griezmann speaks exclusively with FIFA.com about his 2016 and much more

“I was at the Chelsea training ground last week to see Eden Hazard and noticed Kante wandering back to the changing room. So I went over to him and stood in front of him. And I poked him in the chest. I had to, just to check if he was real! You are real, you are! I said, and he laughed. I see no reason why he shouldn't be PFA Player of the Year at the end of the season. Usually, your Kante-type player goes relatively unnoticed. They are only missed when they're not there. But Kante is so special, you do notice him.” Former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry talks with the Sun about an encounter with Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante

“The 4 has given me a lot of luck and has accompanied me throughout my career with Real, but don't think that I haven't considered changing it for 93.” Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos speaks with fans on Facebook Live about his shirt number

“They were incredibly consistent, but they were no longer entertaining romantics like at Barcelona or during his first six months at Bayern. I remember a game where Bayern were trailing and he played two strikers up front, I think Pizarro and Mandzukic. At Barcelona, he would have rather lost as a protest than play with two big strikers." Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel tells Sport1 he thinks Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich side were not as impressive as his Barcelona sides

"We had no future. No school, no work. We couldn’t even walk down the street without a man with us. Everything was burning." Denmark international and Portland Thorns forward Nadia Nadimspeaks exclusively with FIFA.com about her journey escaping war-torn Afghanistan

"When the final whistle went at the weekend, it made every second of the season worthwhile. The juice was definitely worth the squeeze." *Melbourne City Women captain Jessica Fishlock* writes in BBC Wales Sport’s column about winning consecutive Australian W-League titles with her club

"He offered his best wishes for me and my partner this week, which was an unbelievable touch. He is someone I have a massive amount of respect for. For me, he is the best manager in the world. I don’t think there’s anybody close to him and what he has achieved. For him to offer that to me, I respected it and accepted it with a smile on my face." *Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter* tells the Daily Echo about Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s gesture of support for him and his wife Rachel, who are expecting their first child since their daughter Renee was delivered stillborn

"I really like Toni Kroos. When I neared the end of my career, I followed him closely and tried to play like Kroos. I was a midfielder with an eye for the goal, but Kroos is one of the best midfield masterminds in the world. Kroos would be perfect at United next to Pogba and Ander Herrera.” Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes praises Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, speaking with kicker

"I’m very happy and proud at what Colombia is doing for this sport and for women in general, because it shows that equality is on the way and that we deserve more respect and more support, that women are capable of doing anything we want.” Colombia and Patriotas Boyaca's Yoreli Rinconspeaks with FIFA.com about Colombia's new women's league

“We've heard that you follow us as the only European soccer club on Twitter. It's a huge honour for us at Darmstadt 98. Now that you've got a little more time for yourself, we'd like to invite you to a game of The Lillien at the Böllenfalltor. We've got the fitting jersey for you as well. So see you at the Bölle.” Darmstadt forward Terrence Boyd invites former USA President Barack Obama, who follows the club on Twitter, to a match at their 17,000-capacity ground

“Every trophy for me is incredible, everywhere I came I won so if I can win something here, I will be super happy. People that know me know that I play in many clubs and I try to do my best. Wherever I went, I won - so I am like Indiana Jones.” Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic compares himself with the fictional archaeologist after United’s 3-0 win over Saint-Etienne in the UEFA Europa League

"I watch as a casual fan, but I also definitely try to watch guys who play my position. They’re the poachers in the box who make these movements or don't make these movements, and how they get so wide open in the box to finish off these plays. For me as a forward, that’s always part of my game. What I’m trying to get better at is my finishing and in the box trying to be more of a poacher. I look at Chicharito and Suarez, their movement and what they do to get open and make space for themselves, and of course, the finishing touch they put on it. I definitely like to watch guys like that to see how I can improve my game." Seattle Sounders and USA forward Jordan Morris tells The Ringer’s soccer podcast that he studies Javier Hernandez and Luis Suarez’s movement

“The police phoned me about a stolen penguin. They had received an anonymous tip-off that I might be involved. But it wasn’t me. I urge the thief to return the penguin, as this is no joke. I know it well from the sins of my youth. In 2003, I took a penguin home from its colony and put it in my bathtub. But I returned it inside two days after my club chairman explained penguins were a protected species. Besides, my housemates were not delighted, as it stank like a fish factory. I did not steal it – I just borrowed it.” Former goalkeeper and journeyman footballer Lutz Pfannenstieltells Bild about being phoned by the police for stealing a penguin

*The Best FIFA Women's Player 2016 Carli Lloyd*shares her excitement of joining FAWSL champions Manchester City