The Week in Quotes
“I need to always walk cautiously around – he is small and can hide anywhere. We came back from lunch and when I entered the room with Verratti, he was inside the wardrobe and jumped out on me! One of these days I’ll have a heart attack.” Ciro Immobile on room-mate Lorenzo Insigne [press conference] “I believe I played in the best team in football history. I’ve never seen such a magical team who were so in synch. Global superstars who played the game like children. We had amazing player after amazing player and one emblem who was from a different planet to everyone. We experienced moments of immeasurable euphoria.” Daniel Alves on his time at Barcelona [FIFA.com]
“I got a message from Harry Kane maybe like two months ago being like, ‘We get one day off after the qualifiers. Will you come and play at the team BBQ?’ Obviously it was a yes. They were pumped up. We ended the night obviously singing it’s coming home together. We were in a circle, all hands around. For me, as an English boy, being in the centre of the England team, it was really great. I’ve had many amazing moments in my life but I don’t think there’s many that will top that.” Ed Sheeran [Crouchy's Year-Late Euros: Live] “France can only blame themselves. When I saw the way they celebrated the third goal, I didn't like it. I had the feeling of, these guys are already celebrating on the Eiffel Tower, dancing here, dancing there.” Jose Mourinho on France’s collapse against Switzerland [TalkSport]
“I'm yet to meet anyone more obsessed with winning in my life. Sheva and I have even had the odd row on the course. That's how competitive he is. He's a scratch golfer who will do anything to win – including jingling the keys, coins and tees in his pocket as I step up to swing. Whatever Sheva does, he wants to be the best at it. It was that way in football. It's that way in golf. And it's that way when it comes to managing his country. I FaceTimed Sheva on Tuesday night, after Ukraine recorded their awesome 2-1 win over Sweden to set up Saturday night's clash with Gareth Southgate's England.” Jamie Redknapp on Andriy Shevchenko [Daily Mail] “I was walking to the physio room to do my medicals then I saw him come out, he was in his underwear. I was just like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is really him.’ I did everything I could to act normal, not be a total fanboy.” Weston McKennie [press gathering] "I've played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another time. I would have dearly wished, and I gave everything again, that there would have been 109 internationals in the end and that this one big title, the European Championship, would have been added at the end. It was a great honour for me to be able to wear this jersey for such a long period of time. I did it with pride and passion.” Toni Kroos “I spent the whole day fighting with the director. I even rang the new coach. It’s very important for me to get this experience – the World Cup’s coming. When I found out Everton had released me, it felt immense happiness.” Richarlison on his Olympic call-up