93 quotes found
"The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning."
"A penalty is a cowardly way to score."
"I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music."
"Every kid around the world who plays soccer wants to be Pelé. I have a great responsibility to show them not just how to be like a soccer player, but how to be like a man."
"When I was a professional footballer at Santos [where he played from 1956-74] there was a lot of time hanging around team hotels doing nothing. My way of passing the time was writing songs and strumming my guitar [...] I have written more than 500 songs. Sometimes I just write the lyrics. Sometimes the lyrics come with a melody. Even now, wherever I go I always have my little tape recorder - and tape everything that comes into my head. All my homes have guitars."
"[On his unpublicized work as a songwriter.] I didn't want the public to make the comparison between Pele the composer and Pele the footballer. That would have been a huge injustice - in football my talent was a gift from God, music was just for fun.'"
"Success is not an accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."
"Bobby Moore — he defended like a lord. Let me tell you about this man. When I played, I would face up to a defender, I would beat him with my eyes, send him the wrong way; I would look one way and then go the other. Defenders would just kick me in frustration. They would foul me because they couldn't stop me, or because I would confuse them with my movement. I would move my eyes, my legs or my body, but not always the ball. They would follow my move, but not Bobby, not ever. He would watch the ball, he would ignore my eyes and my movement and then, when he was ready and his balance was right, he would take the ball, always hard, always fair. He was a gentleman and an incredible footballer."
"Pelé is one of the few who contradicted my theory [...] Instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries."
"Football is about joy. It's about dribbling. I favour every idea that makes the game beautiful. Every good idea has to last.."
"It is fantastic how clever the guy is. He seems ready for every situation and the bigger the game, the more he can handle it. [...] When you play with him and see what he does with a ball, nothing surprises me any more. One of these days, he will make the ball talk."
"This is not normal. He's not normal, he never has been. He lives in the magnetic spectrum. What a goal this is. Beyond world-class. Astonishing. Cooler than a bomb disposal expert. That is amazing piece of football finishing by King Ronaldinho."
"The goal of ending poverty is within reach and everyone can contribute to it by getting involved or supporting organizations that are already working to give the poor a better life... No one should be doomed to a life of poverty, whether by birth or as a consequence of war."
"I don't know my weight. By knowing, I get a little traumatized. I purposely try to avoid getting on a scale."
"Eu nunca fui exemplo para ninguém."
"Alfonso quem? So falo de quem eu conheco."
"Quando durmo muito, não faço gols, por isso gosto de ficar na noite."
"O Pelé calado é um poeta. Dentro de campo, ele foi o nosso pai. Fora dele, tem de colocar um sapato na boca."
"Parei. Não dá mais. Não tenho mais vontade."
"Quero deixar bem claro que não vou parar."
"Quando eu nasci, Deus apontou o dedo em minha direção e disse: esse é o cara."
"O cara nem entrou no ônibus ainda e já quer sentar na janela."
"Goleiro sempre tem mérito. Mas dessa vez não. Do jeito que bati, até a minha mãe pegava."
"Se você me perguntar por que eu gosto da noite, é simples: é que à noite você vê só o que quer. De dia, é obrigado a ver tudo."
"Não estou indo para o trabalho, mas eles também não estão me pagando. E a amizade continua..."
"A corte agora está contente. O rei, o príncipe e o bobo."
"Deus abençoou os pés desse cidadão, mas se esqueceu do resto e principalmente da boca, porque quando ele fala só sai besteira, ou melhor: só sai m..."
"Marcar o Robinho é desgaste físico. Marcar o Romário é desgaste emocional"
"Está entre Romário e van Basten"
"Messi is a very quick and technically gifted player. When you face him you have to make decisions in an instant. When he approaches you, you have to make the sign of the cross and pray that everything will be alright."
"I learned a lot with Paolo Maldini who helped me with defensive positioning and the importance of respecting tactical schemes."
"I am very happy to be considered as one of the best defenders in the world and to be mentioned alongside great footballers. It's a great satisfaction to have reached this level at this moment in my career. I know that things will get tougher soon, but I will continue to work hard to be able to maintain this level of performance."
"Thiago has the physical and technical characteristics of a champion."
"Thiago Silva will extend my life as a central defender."
"Certainly, Thiago shows that security that characterised Franco [Baresi] when he used to play. For one reason or another, when Baresi came off during the break or during the game, we all felt his loss and I think the same thing is happening now with Thiago, because he gives so much security at the back."
"He’s very elegant, he commits few fouls because he’s always first to every ball and this is an important gift. He’s also fast and has good technique and these are important skills for a defender. Italian football puts players to the test and he immediately showed he was up to the task and ready to play for Milan, at the San Siro. Playing with the kind of continuity he had this season proves he really belongs to the elite."
"This year, Thiago had an excellent season playing at Baresi’s level, but Franco had several fantastic seasons, not only one or two, but 15 or 16 and I think that at the moment this is the only difference between the two."
"I think that Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world. It is incredible how good he really is. Thiago Silva is part of a new generation of phenomenal players who are perhaps born once every 100 years."
"Paolo Maldini who is here with us tonight was a player at the level of Franco Baresi, but Thiago is up there too."
"Thiago Silva is my heir."
"A player like Thiago Silva is impossible to replace."
"It’s difficult to identify where he can still improve. He has already proven to have everything."
"It is not blasphemous to compare Thiago Silva to Franco Baresi. With all due respect to Franco, who was a sacred monster, but Thiago Silva is just as phenomenal."
"You can't say 'I'll sell Silva and buy a similar player'. There are no similar players around, only worse ones."
"In the world, today, Thiago Silva is the only defender who can change the outcome of a match."
"There are many good defenders that I have played against, but the most difficult one would have to be Thiago Silva."
"The hardest defender I have ever come up against? The guy at AC Milan, Thiago Silva. He's absolutely faultless."
"I would say Thiago Silva from Milan is the best defender in the world."
"At 28, he has a lot of experience and he helps us a lot. He is also a brilliant player - in my opinion he is PSG's best player - and the way he brings the ball out of defence is superb. He's even played a few games in midfield, which shows just what a good footballer he is. For me, he's the best defender in the world."
"I can say that Thiago Silva has no rival in his position. He is by far the best defender in the world. It’s a compliment for me to be compared to him."
"Thiago Silva is currently the reference in my position, so it's flattering (to be compared to him)."
"For me, Thiago Silva is one of the best defenders of all time. We can talk about Baresi, Maldini, and Beckenbauer. They won a lot; we cannot discuss the honours they have won. But Silva's quality, his personality, his tranquility [on the pitch]. Honestly, I've never seen a defender as complete as him."
"Simply the best defender in the world. Whenever he is on the pitch, his presence reassures the others, from the goalkeeper to the attackers."
"I have played with many fantastic central defenders — Thuram, Cannavaro, Piqué, Puyol — but Silva is like all of them put together."
"He makes it look easy. It was not for nothing that PSG spent €50 million [actually €42 million] to secure his services. He is a defender who imposes his strength, his heading, his anticipation. He is 'Mr. Clean' and in addition to that, he is a real leader!"
"He is already among the best defenders in the history of Brazil, alongside Mozer, Julio Cesar and Aldair. If he wins the World Cup next year he will become the greatest of all time. He is already the best defender in PSG's history."
"I have rarely seen such a complete and strong central defender. I am amazed. He seldom makes mistakes. What strikes me the most, is his calmness, especially in his distribution and marking."
"He is the Messi of defenders. The question is no longer if he is the best defender in the world, because he is quite simply one of the best players in the world — better than Cannavaro when he won the Ballon D'Or."
"Thiago Silva is a classy defender, you know that if you put him on the field, he will not commit any fault, any error."
"Thiago Silva is easily the best defender in the world."
"He is the best defender in the world. Before moving to Europe, I watched a lot of matches of Thiago Silva at Milan, and I am inspired by him."
"I think Thiago Silva is currently the best defender in the world. He has exceptional qualities, he can defend well, attack well, he is always well focused. He is always in the right place at the right time. He is very serious."
"Thiago Silva is without doubt the best central defender in the world. He has incredible qualities. He is a symbol of elegance like Franz Beckenbauer was. Silva follows in his footsteps."
"Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world."
"Thiago Silva is the best centre back in the world by a long way."
"Today, Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world."
"I have worked with [Carlos] Gamarra, with [Elías] Figueroa, but Thiago is better than the both of them."
"In Serie A the best are Chiellini and Bonucci. They always know what to do. The best in the world is Thiago Silva."
"For me, Thiago has always been a reference, he is a born competitor. I consider him one of the best defenders in the world."
"Thiago Silva is an exceptional defender."
"I have the opportunity to see what a great player he is. I already had him as a reference when I was younger. Today, that's even more the case after having met him. He's really a leader and he works a lot. He always wants the best for his teammates by thinking a lot about the collective before thinking about him."
"The captain! O Monstro! He's impressive, He's one of the two best in the world with Sergio Ramos. You could add Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci but they need each other, while Thiago Silva is strong with anyone. He's a captain who talks a lot in the dressing room. Marquinhos takes advantage of having Thiago Silva beside him. He's lucky to be developing with a player like that. Now he has become one of the best."
"He is a phenomenon."
"He's the best defender in the world, three levels above the others."
"Thiago Silva is a top player, who has played at a very high level. Top clubs hardly ever lose that type of player."
"I'm lucky to be coaching Thiago Silva."
"Silva reminds me of the old Desailly."
"Welcome to PSG, Thiago Silva, the best defender in the world."
"No one has the concentration, the speed, the heading or the sense of anticipation he has. He's on track to become the next Maldini."
"He is very strong at defending, both on the ground and in the air. He is a complete player and has no faults. He is a modern defender because he is as strong defensively as many others, but has something more than the rest. When he has the ball, he knows what to do."
"Silva is complete, without any fault. He's the modern defender because he is so good defensively amongst many other things."
"He is already in the category of Baresi, Sammer and anyone else you want to name. Ultimately what he wins will decide where he ranks, but his qualities make him stronger than all of them."
"He is incredibly quick with his play. He is almost unbeatable in one-on-one situations. He has so many qualities that he can play in midfield, free in front of the defence. He would be incredible [there], but he will not do that because he wants to stay in his position."
"He has the quickness, he has the ability on the ball. Thiago Silva is an incredible player and extremely intelligent."
"The experiences that I have had definitely help to deal with different types of pressure."
"I want to be a part of something that is spearheading the movement, if that makes sense? I’m actually investing in seeing myself as an equal to my male counterparts."
"If I had a bad game or something like that, especially in the very beginning, it was such a hard transitional period that I would just really get in my head."
"Unfortunately, injuries are a natural part of football."
"I think women need more representation. Not just because we are women, but because we are incredible athletes. Incredible athletes should all be given the same opportunities."
"The better I got, the greater the pressure and the tougher his feedback would get."
"Cry in the beginning, so you can smile at the end."
"This shows that women’s soccer has been growing. This shows that women’s soccer is a product that gives profit, that gives enjoyment to watch."
"Women’s football is relying on you to survive. Think about it, value it more."