99 quotes found
"Football is a simple game. 22 women chase a ball for ninety minutes and at the end, the United States win."
"It's the belly of the country. There are all kinds of footballers, I don't see them as angels or demons, but as professionals who believe in their dreams."
"Unlike the sports of basketball, badminton, or volleyball, soccer can't trace its roots back to a specific person, place, or time. In fact, it's completely likely that a variation of the sport was played in prehistoric times. Generally it's believed that a game like soccer was played around 400 B.C. in China, and there's evidence of a similar game that was played in A.D. 300 in Rome. These games, while similar to today's soccer in the sense that there were goal lines and passing, didn't have the hand restrictions that today's game has. During the Middle Ages, adults and children played a form of soccer in the streets of London, but the rules changed depending on who was playing, and so did the size of the game; entire towns participated. These games became so addictive and absorbing that in the 1300s the king of England actually tried to ban the sport because it was interfering with young men's military training."
"The most precious thing the writer owns is his pen and the most precious thing the footballer owns is his shoes."
"The ball is round and the game lasts for 90 minutes. (Der Ball ist rund und das Spiel dauert 90 Minuten.)"
"on 22 June 1941, the day the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, the decisive act of the entire conflict, ninety thousand spectators watched the German league final in Berlin. What were they thinking of?"
"Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for ninety minutes and at the end, the Germans win."
"Fussball ist wie Schach, nur ohne Würfel."
"We were playing for the glory of the USSR and for the love of football, not for the money."
"Someone said: "football is more important than life and death to you" and I said: "Listen, it's more important than that.""
"In the beginning there was chaos, and soccer was without form. Then came the Victorians, who codified it, and after them the theorists, who analyzed it. It wasn't until the late 1920s that tactics in anything resembling a modern sense came to be recognized or discussed, but as early as the 1870s there was an acknowledgment that the arrangement of players on the field made a significant difference to the way the game was played. In its earliest form, though, soccer knew nothing of such sophistication. Various cultures can point to games that involved kicking a ball, but, for all the claims of Rome, Greece, Egypt, the Caribbean, Mexico, China, or Japan to be the home of soccer, the modern sport has its roots in the mob game of medieval Britain. Rules-inasmuch as they existed at all-varied from place to place, but the game essentially involved two teams trying to force a roughly spherical object to a target at opposite ends of a notional field. It was violent, unruly, and anarchic, and it was repeatedly outlawed. Only in the early nineteenth century, when the public schools-their thinking shaped by advocates of muscular Christianity-decided that sports could be harnessed for the moral edification of their students, did anything approaching what we would today recognize as soccer emerge. Before there could be tactics, though, there had, first of all, to be a coherent set of rules."
"You were kind of an outlier if you even liked football and you were a girl in England. So to come over here and have that opportunity? I've always said America is the land of opportunity. It certainly was for me."
"after dinner all the youths of the city goes out into the fields for the very popular game of ball."
"All that was missing to have made it a really smart 1972 middle-class party would have been a few reefers, but footballers wouldn't touch such things. Some footballers might have moved into the middle classes but there are two things they won't have at their parties — drugs and homosexuals."
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style. With a flourish, it's about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."
"I realized that I can only stand if they throw a ball at me. I reach out and parry. Now I teach the kids how to do it, they go home and say that Dasaev is a good teacher. This is what I wanted from me, this is happiness."
"Speaking of Buffon, I am very surprised that at his age he continues to play without ever failing. It is an example to be inspired by."
"The game was very hard but we tried by all means to use the chances that we had to come out with the victory that we were looking for"
"I think I have tried what I am capable of doing and I think I have helped the team carry the day of today’s victory"
"I need to score some goals because I had some chances in the first half but it was just an unlucky day for me. In the next game, I will make sure I use the chances that I get"
"It was difficult to accept [Nali’s injury] but we now need to accept. There is nothing we can do. I am the one who is there so I need to prove people wrong so that they trust me that even without Hazel, we can take Zambia far"
"I want to prove people wrong, they need to trust me, I need their support,” Musonda said in an interview with FAZ Media"
"I need to have concentration, on the pitch and in training. The first game is very important. We need to work hard as a whole team"
"The preparations are going on well. As a team our target is to go past the group stage"
"It was difficult to accept at first, but now I just have to accept and prove the fans wrong to have faith in me without Hazel. I can still put the country on the map"
"The Germany game was okay, but tough I just went with a positive mind of hardwork. Now that Hazel is injured, I just need to concentrate and keep pushing my teammates"
"We need to win that game, first game is very important according to our preparations. We just need to work hard as a team"
"I want to put up an impressive performance and join a top-flight team in Spain or anywhere else and ensure people have faith in me"
"Thank you. It’s a big honour and I am very humbled. Being recognised at this level means a lot, not just for me but for my team and my country," she exclusively told"
"It shows that the work we have been doing as a group is being noticed. Also congratulations to Barbra and Racheal for making it in the best eleven"
"I think it comes down to discipline, communication and teamwork. At the back, we work as a unit. Everyone knows their role and we support each other. Personally, I always try to stay focused and read the game well and also follow the coach’s instructions"
"It’s been a very good journey. We stayed unbeaten in a very tough group, which says a lot about our progress. The biggest positive has been our unity. We play for each other and for the flag. Every player gave their all"
"All the games were tough, but I think the match against Morocco tested us the most. They are strong technically and had the home crowd behind them. I stayed focused by trusting my preparation, staying close to my teammates, and making sure our line stayed focussed"
"We believe in ourselves. Even when people doubted us before, we kept working hard. I think what sets us apart is our hunger and our unity. We don’t rely on individuals — we move as one team with one dream"
"It’s been a journey of learning and growth. I started young and had to work hard to earn my place. Being part of this national team has taught me discipline and made me stronger, both as a footballer and a person"
"Yes, like any athlete, I have had challenges sometimes with form, sometimes with injuries. But I always remind myself why I started. I have a strong support system in my family and teammates and I trust in God’s timing"
"My country inspires me. Wearing the Copper Queens jersey is something I never take for granted. I also think of young girls watching us because I want them to believe they can achieve anything if they work hard"
"Wearing the jersey means everything. It’s an honour and a duty. Every time I step on the pitch, I remember where I come from and who I am playing for. Mentally, I stay ready by focusing on the team’s goals and trusting my training"
"I take that responsibility seriously. I try to lead by example through discipline, humility and hard work. My message is to believe in yourself, stay focused and never let anyone tell you your dreams are too big"
"Playing club football in Zambia has helped me understand the physical side of the game early on. It taught me to be tough and alert. Every game is different and I have learned to adapt quickly"
"Yes, I do. I am in Turkey yes but playing in a competitive league would challenge me more and help me grow as a player. It’s a dream I am working towards and I believe with consistency, that opportunity will come"
"I am focusing on my passing range, positioning and reading transitions quicker. I want to be the kind of defender who is calm under pressure, smart with decisions and reliable for my team"
"Personally, I want to keep improving with each match. As a team, our goal is to reach the final and give ourselves a chance to win it. Beyond WAFCON, we want to keep qualifying for big tournaments and showing the world what Zambia can do"
"I am very proud of Lushomo and the entire technical team is pleased with her recognition. Being named in the Team of the Group Stage is a deserved reward for her consistency, discipline and leadership in our defensive structure."
"She’s grown immensely in her role not just as a central defender, but as someone who brings calmness and balance to the team under pressure."
"Going into the knockout stage, we will rely on that same composure and tactical awareness from her. She understands the demands of matches, and we trust her to continue being a strong presence at the back. She has our full trust"
"We are ready as a team and better with a game so far this season"
"We are together, more experienced and a stronger squad of players than we were against Barcelona last season"
"We also have experience and good quality players on the team and are champions in our own country, so nothing will frighten us"
"Bayern are are a good team, but we did not mind who it was we would face. We just know we will give everything to help the team get to the next round"
"Personally, I'm enjoying my time here in Kazakhstan and am very happy with the incredible support we receive here during matches"
"The passion and belief for football in the country are massive. It's just amazing how people turn out to support us. I feel like being at home here and always happy with the kind of supporters we have"
"We have a job to do as we do not want to disappoint the fans who brought us this far. Their support means everything to us"
"We have prepared adequately for the game. I don’t see ourselves coming back with a loss. We are looking forward to winning the first leg and the second leg"
"These games are very important for us"
"I think they are good preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations, and, when you look at South Africa, they have a very good team and have qualified for the World Cup; it will be a very tough game. We are ready to perform"
"I can tell that we have a very good team, even though we lost the past few games"
"Our team is very good and there are some shuffles, new changes in the technical stuff, but we are very much ready for the game, and the technical staff is very excited for the games"
"It is a very good thing to be fair"
"They deserve the chances. We have seen some countries that have appointed their local coaches, and they have done well. So I think local coaches deserve their chances too, and also they interact with the players very well. They speak our language, which makes things easier"
"The most important thing is that we don’t stop dreaming, it’s very important for us as a nation to keep dreaming until one day we qualify for the World Cup. The World Cup qualifiers are gone, and we need to focus on the AFCON"
"Honestly, I come from a very poor family and it was very difficult for us to survive. For us to survive I was the one who was killing animals in the bush"
"Not really a poacher because a poacher is somebody with a gun, I used to hunt animals with dogs. It was very difficult to survive and I used to kill animals for the family to survive"
"That was at the age of 9, 10 to 16. I used to play football in the village. Like in the morning, I would go hunt animals and later in the afternoon I would go for training"
"I think I never paid attention so much to school. It was very difficult. You can't go to school without food, but I used to do it."
"I had a lot of teams interested in me. I had two teams in the Premier League and I met them in England and they explained how they wanted me to play"
"I had two teams from the top five in France - I also met with them. But I spoke to Gerrard and after he talked to me, I felt I had to move to Rangers"
"I believe I've made the right decision. Even if I had the options again, I'd still make the same decision. I'd still choose Rangers"
"What attracted me to Rangers was how the coach explained what he wanted from me. Gerrard talked to me like a real man. I knew he could help me in my career"
"I am really happy for the move [to Scotland]. I think it's a big move and I have made it at the right time"
"Looking where I am coming from, people can't believe that I am here today, people can't believe that now I am in Europe playing in big teams"
"When I was a kid, I was having dreams of playing for the national team and playing outside Zambia."
"When I joined this team in Chipata, everyone was laughing at me. They were laughing at my shoes, my clothes but I believed that I should be a very good example to testify the goodness of God"
"I just signed a contract for one-year loan with Sochaux in the French first division. I’ll have time to play and I hope to score a lot of goals"
"I'm happy to sign with FC Sochaux. I need to have more game time so I had to be loaned from Southampton - I thank them for understanding"
"I cannot wait to play my first game with Sochaux"
"I'm happy to sign for Hapoel Ra'anana"
"I'm now focused on Zambia's game against Ghana as that's most important"
"Football is hectic and difficult at times; they didn’t have a good season. I feel sorry for him, but he has to be mentally strong"
"He should continue working hard. He should walk with his head high for achieving great things in England. I have played in the Premier League before, and I know how tough football is that side"
"It’s up to him to decide whether to leave or not, but for now he should continue working hard. He has great potential to actually become a great striker in England"
"I am proud of what he has done. He has done exceptionally well; he should be proud of himself"
"He did even better than me, and I give credit to him for his brilliant performance. It’s not easy to play in the English Premier League; it’s a tough league"
"He’s made everyone understand the direction he wants us to be in. He’s given us the plan and the push to be more confident, he knows the quality in the room. He’s also helped us understand that we have to just do our thing, get back to the basics"
"He’s leading us based on the direction he wants us to go, and we’re heading in that direction. Slowly but steadily, we’ll get there"
"Well, it’s not even just about how the season began, pressure is always there. It will always be there"
"If you’re winning, there’s pressure for you to keep winning. If you’re not, there’s pressure to start. The most important thing is to rise above it; you don’t have to let it define you"
"We know the quality that’s in the team. It’s just about making sure we follow what the manager asks of us, sticking together, going back to the basics, and enjoying the game. That’s what Ruud tells us"
"We have to enjoy football. This is what we chose to do. We have to love and enjoy what we’re doing, knowing that we've got our backs. Following, and fighting for one another... that helps us a lot. So we don’t have to be so worried. Whether pressure is there or not, we just have to focus on every game and play our game"
"Growing up I was taught by my family that if you want to live with others, you have to learn to be responsible for your own actions because every action has consequences"
"Right now, I’m just focused on helping the team. I’m committed to the club and doing everything I can to help us get out of this situation"
"Of course, in football you never know what tomorrow holds. But I’m here, and I believe in what we’re building. That’s all that matters for me at the moment"
"It’s not really the position that we are hoping to be in…..But it is what it is"
"We have to face the reality and look at each game as it comes"
"We’re not getting ahead of ourselves and focusing on each game to determine where we will be at the end of the season .… Because if we get ahead of ourselves, we’re going to lose ourselves"
"We just have to focus on each game step by step, and, at the end of it, we’ll see where we’re at"
"He knows his body; he knows what he is supposed to do, and he’s such an inspiration. Having him around, he’s been playing at this level for a long time, and he’s still here. There’s a lot we can learn from him. He’s such an amazing guy. Outside of the pitch, he’s a great human being"