Saturday 03 August 2019, 08:35

The Week in Quotes

“I thought this was the moment. I chatted about it with my family. I took advantage of everything this game has to offer. I feel grateful to have played so long, and I have had 46 years of happiness. I have so many things in my mind and so many emotions that everything still isn’t totally clear. I know that I’d like to pass on my knowledge and experiences to kids in an academy.” Mexico goalkeeper Oscar Perez announces his retirement at the age of 46

“An opponent had stamped on my foot and damaged it badly. In the hospital I told the Monaco coach, Didier Deschamps, ‘It’s too painful. I can’t play. I can’t even walk!’ But the team needed me, so the doctors tried everything to take away the pain. Nothing worked. Then someone from the club staff said, ‘Why don’t you just go old school?’ Everyone said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘Just slide a chicken down his boot.’ It sounded crazy but, you know me, I’m open minded. So I went to my local butcher. The butcher said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘A piece of chicken. But just a tiny one.’ He said, ‘A tiny one? How come?’ I said, ‘I’m gonna put it in my boot.’ He just laughed. I went home with the chicken. I ordered new boots: one in size 42.5, the other in size 44. I passed the ball. [It] felt okay. Painful, but okay. So I ended up playing with chicken in my boot for four months. I didn’t train with it — my mother would never have forgiven me for wasting food — but before every game I would visit the butcher. ‘Morning, Patrice. The usual, yeah?’ The chicken enabled me to play so well that, in January 2006, I was signed by Manchester United.” Patrice Evra, who also announced his retirement from football this week, tells a bizarre story to The Players' Tribune about how he dealt with a foot injury earlier in his career

Several players get mic'd up during the Major League Soccer All-Star Game, in which the MLS All-Stars lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid in Orlando

“[Bob Bradley was] my son’s first babysitter, so we go back a long way. I’m not sure I’ve ever coached against my son actually, this will be interesting. If a fight breaks out, I’m going to take him.” New England Revolution head coach Bruce Arena on facing long-time friend and LAFC coach Bob Bradley, whose assistant coach is Bruce's son Kenny, speaking with MLSsoccer.com

"Real Madrid appointed [Jose Antonio] Camacho as their new coach and he wanted me and Ronaldinho [in their second approach]. They tried to sign me on those two occasions, but I was at the best club in the world and wanted to win titles there. So I stayed." Former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol tells TV3 that rivals Real Madrid tried to sign him on two occasions during his career

Arsenal Women manager Joe Montemurro reacts to the news of his inclusion in the shortlist for The Best FIFA Women's Coach

USA forward Alex Morgan reacts to being named on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Women's Player award

“The three of them were always together, until they got separated. Paul went to Le Havre and the twins went to Spain. One weekend I would go and visit Paul, and the next weekend I’d visit the twins. Every time I left them I would give them this advice: 'You left your country to reach a goal, so do your best to reach this goal.'" Yeo Moriba, mother of the Pogba brothers, features in the latest episode of FIFA Digital's Sheroes series

"If you love football, if you like great stadiums full of passion, no-one should deny themselves an experience like this. My aim is the same as Boca's ... to win the Libertadores, win the league. From what I've heard it's to win everything." Daniele De Rossi completes his move to Boca Juniors after spending 18 years with Roma

“The opportunity to coach this team and work with these amazing women has been the honor of a lifetime. I want to thank and praise them for their commitment and passion to not only win championships but also raise the profile of this sport globally while being an inspiration to those who will follow them." USA women's national team coach Jill Ellis announces she will leave her post in early October after delivering back-to-back Women's World Cup titles for the USWNT

Sampdoria and Sweden midfielder Albin Ekdal records a message encouraging more openness in the men's football community towards gay players, coaches or staff members

Multiple players speak ahead of the FIFA eWorld Cup 2019, which kicked off yesterday and is continuing across the weekend