Top 33 Theo Walcott Quotes

When I was 10 years old, my teacher got us to imagine our future. I drew a timeline of the rest of my life. I had just started playing football, so I drew pictures of me as a professional footballer.

It doesn’t matter if you start the game: as long as you finish it well and the team wins, that’s the main thing.

Every player would like to go and win loads more, but not every player can.

I will go out and have some fun. You can’t lock yourself away forever. But it’s not me you’ll see stumbling out of nightclubs.

I like going to New York because I don’t get recognised there – although, the first time I was there, I’d only been in the city an hour when the tallest guy came up to me on Fifth Avenue and said my name, gave me a high-five, and then just walked off.

I’m just someone who grew up in a small village.

I feel a lot stronger than I ever have done since I’ve had kids, because you have to be: you don’t want them to see any weakness.

I generally don’t like it when people talk about regrets because you do your best, and you deal with the circumstances that happen.

When I was 11, I was invited to be a ballboy at Stamford Bridge when Chelsea played Liverpool. I was a Liverpool fan, so I was gutted that they lost 2-0. Afterwards, I was introduced to the players – I found it terrifying.

My dad was in the RAF, so we travelled quite a lot. My memory’s not the best – I remember we lived in Belgium for a bit – but I grew up in a village called Compton in Newbury.

It can’t be too bad being one of the top goalscorers at Arsenal in the Premier League, mainly as a winger as well, and three FA Cups.

You want to look back on your career and see what you’ve achieved, not just have a fancy car and a big house.

A coach was managing the Newbury team, and he wanted me to play for his local team, and from there, I did it at district level, and then I got picked for Southampton.

Thierry Henry, without a doubt – he’s an absolute legend.

You want to play in the massive games. We all want to be out there, doing well for the country.

The problem with my shoulders was something I inherited from my dad. The left one would pop out and then pop back in – absolute agony – during almost every game last season, so I had surgery to put it right last summer.

I wasn’t playing at Arsenal, and I was frustrated. I was doing everything I could do, looking after myself, scoring, and playing in the Europa League then when the cup came, but it wasn’t enough for me, and I wanted more.

You can be the best player in one game and then the worst player ever in the next.

People probably don’t realise, but you often train harder when you’re injured than when you’re fit.

I tend to wear the moulds in training, but I’ll always wear studs in games, as I feel like I get more grip.

I’m not going to lie: I fell out of love with football for a little bit because I had some good performances but then just didn’t get the chance to play on.

If I’m called up by any England team, I’m willing to go. I’m not going to pull out of any England team. Ask any young kid who wants to play for their national team, and everyone’s the same. We’re all dying to do it.

I played golf in Dubai with my cousin and brother, but I wouldn’t do it again because I was dripping with sweat in the heat and wasn’t able to last the whole round.

I love playing for Arsenal. Top club, unbelievable.

I remember my first Arsenal training session and Sol Campbell going straight through me. I had a bit of a bruise, but I got straight back up and carried on. I didn’t want to show them that it hurt.

My friend Adam gave me my first chance to play in an organised match, for Steventon, when I was 10. The team were one player short, and I joined in. I had never played before, but I came on and scored a perfect hat-trick: header, left foot, right foot.

A golf holiday with the guys is always nice. I’m a bit of a bandit on the golf course because I play with a handicap of 10, but I should be lower than that.

I want to play piano. My girlfriend loves the piano.

I travel pretty regularly throughout the football season with Arsenal and England, but we don’t really get to explore. In the summer months, I get about four or five weeks off, and then I’ll jet away to either the south of France, Dubai, or Italy.

Football is about opinions, but love me or hate me, I don’t really care. I genuinely wouldn’t change anything. I don’t have any regrets.

As a little kid, I wasn’t even interested in football. The first time I played, I was nine, and I volunteered to go in goal, thinking it would be exciting to save penalties. In fact, it was really boring.

The Champions League is massive. I’ve had so much experience. I’m only 23, and yet I’ve played so much in the Champions League, and not many players my age would have had that experience.

I work on crossing the ball at pace. That’s something that is not easy. And my first touch has improved, as has my understanding of the game.