Xabi Alonso
I remember playing with my dad, and my kids will remember this as well.Collection: Dad
If you win the midfield, you probably win the game. But that doesn't mean the players in the midfield are the ones alone who determine that, because now we have strikers who drop into midfield and defenders who move up into the midfield. It is the area you must dominate.Collection: Alone
I feel very comfortable with the system used by Mourinho. It's a very dynamic 4-2-3-1 that can easily change to 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 depending on the moment or the team's needs. He really knows what he wants.
I have improved with time by playing for elite teams in elite leagues and the Champions League and with the Spanish national team in World Cups and European Championships.
I came from my hometown team, Real Sociedad, to the best team in England, to the best team in Spain, to the best team in Germany.
My idea was to stay in Madrid. Then, when I heard of Munich's interest, I said, 'Xabi, think what you want and where you will be happy.'
There have been many games where Xavi and I have played together, and I think we work well.
With Senna, I am not incompatible; I am not incompatible with anyone.
There were many good reasons to move to Bayern, and Pep Guardiola was definitely one of them.
Cristiano's numbers are amazing, indisputable.
Of course Zidane has surprised me as a coach. I didn't know how he would do.
I wanted to end my career still at the highest level, and Bayern is the highest level.
I'm incredibly proud and happy to play for FC Bayern and to be a part of this family.
So many times, football is really unfair.
I grew up a lot as a professional and as a person in Liverpool, and I have very strong links to the club and the city.
My family have absolutely no problem about me playing for Real Madrid. They have become Real Madrid fans.
Everyone should know my quality and what I bring to the team.
It is a fact for any footballer - you can be really happy, but if the club don't want you, you have to accept it.
You always want to feel important at wherever you are at.
There are not many better clubs to play football for than Liverpool.
Writing is not easy, but having an opinion is!
Passion? Of course it's necessary, but it's more important to have footballing foundations, certainly, when developing players.
My game is not to have one great action. My game is to be consistent throughout: to bring the ball in the best and quickest possible way for the best players to make the last action.
They value different things in every country. In England, it's very physical. You tackle, you shoot. I love watching it. In Spain, it's different. Pass the ball, move, find the space.
Munich is a very good city to live in. The life quality is superb.
The grass, the sound of the ball, the jokes with my teammates - that's what I will miss most. That is what fulfills you most on a daily basis.
I am still as slow as I was when I was 20.
To be fighting at European level, you need players who know how to play in the big games.
The Bundesliga is much quicker; it's more physical than the Liga, which is more technical.
I've said a few times the Bundesliga is closer to the Premier League than the Liga.
Neuer is by far the best keeper I've played with and is also outstanding outfield.
The only thing I regret is not winning the Premier League with Liverpool. I'll never know how that feels and experience the reaction of the city, as I did after Istanbul. It hurts because I know the people want the league title more than anything.
It is difficult to copy Real Madrid, as not every team has those players who can run with such explosion, like Ronaldo.
Matches in England are special.
I've been lucky, but I have earned that luck.
I would never have dreamed to have had such a nice career as this. I like football, and this is like a nice football journey.
I've played with great players and worked with great managers; I've learned a lot from all of them.
I have been lucky enough to be at great clubs, from my hometown club to Liverpool to Real Madrid to Bayern Munich.
That is probably the biggest issue about the English game. You need to be a great player and great at striking the ball, of course, but it's also about your head and being able to understand the game, especially for a midfielder.
That's one thing that I've always wanted: to make my own decisions and not to be pushed. That has happened in my career, and I wanted to leave football, not football to leave me. I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could and to leave it a little bit earlier than too late.
If I decide somewhere along the way to take my chances as a manager, my link, my commitment, my passion with Liverpool is there.
I have played against, but not with, Zinedine Zidane and would liked to have played with him.
If you have control of the midfield, you have control of the game, and you have more chances to win.
I accept I am going to miss playing because it's such an important part in my life. It's going to be difficult to fill that gap. Life goes on.
You need to have the same ideas to work as a team, to have a good team spirit. And you don't get there in a day or even a month. It takes some time to get there.
I have learned from all of my coaches, and I am sure I will learn a lot with Guardiola.
I don't think tackling is a quality. It is a recurso, something you have to resort to, not a characteristic of your game.
Managing Liverpool? Yes, for sure, I have dreamt of that, but first I have to prove myself and prepare.
If I have to yell at Cristiano Ronaldo, I yell.
If you go out and play your own way, anything can happen. You might win.