I want to go to a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, or Bayern Munich.
It’s really important that when you come to a club, you know the history. My dream was always Real Madrid or Barcelona, but for the fans of Tottenham, the club is the biggest in the world. So that’s how I treated it.
I enjoy every moment of playing for Real Madrid and naturally, I give it everything I’ve got. I do all I can to make sure the fans enjoy the football and that Madrid are always at the top, which is where they belong.
I always said I just wanted an opportunity with Madrid, and that has come.
At the end of the day, of course I want to continue to be successful at Madrid; I want to be important here. I have never hidden from that.
Ajax have a set model, a defined youth programme – Barcelona have one too, and Juventus. And Atletico Madrid do too. Real Madrid don’t – because they alternate developing their own players with signing talent.
With all due respect, but Juventus are not Real Madrid or the AC Milan of Ronaldinho’s days. They can win games 6-2 or 5-2. Juventus are not like that. We have to win 1-0 or 2-0. It’s in the club’s DNA. That does not mean we will not try to win 3-0, but we are a team that cannot concede a goal when we are ahead.
When a player joins Real Madrid’s first team, they’re often under pressure to be an instant success. By joining Castilla, I had the chance to understand the club and get to know the players, the culture, the country and the language.
I had great relationships with all the four coaches I played under at Real Madrid. They all helped me improve, but if I had to pick the best, I would pick Ancelotti.
I was at Madrid for 17 years and, save for Vicente del Bosque and Jose Mourinho, I never saw any coaches stay for many years.
In Madrid, there’s a big street in the centre called Callao. I remember being there with my mum and pointing to one of the big film posters and saying, ‘I want to be up there.’ That was my dream, and I got it.
I come from a Napoli team who scored 104 goals. Do you think I’m going to be hyper-defensive with Real Madrid? A team that creates chances and is great in possession is not defensive.
There are not many Cristiano Ronaldos in the world and Real Madrid has made a great financial effort, but Real Madrid wants the best team in the world.
If I had gone to Madrid, I would have scored more than 200 goals, but I knew I would have got bored.
Football has been my life and Real Madrid my home and together we have lived unique moments.
Juventus will never be like Real Madrid or Barcelona because its history and playing style speak for itself.
It’s true that at Malaga, I played every game as a starter, but here at Madrid, they give nothing away.
When you speak about Real Madrid, you talk about a lot of money – almost infinite funds – something very unique in the world.
At Madrid, I was only used for important matches.
That’s one of the core qualities at Real Madrid – you’ve got to be able to win all the time.
Because of my job, I get a lot of opportunity to grab a few days here and there in many cool cities for press commitments, magazine shoots and premieres – Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Stockholm, New York, Berlin. I always try to get to a gallery or museum if there’s time.
It’s really flattering to know that a club of Real Madrid’s stature is interested in me.
I know – without sounding arrogant – that I could’ve played at Real Madrid… but I didn’t work hard enough for that.
I needed something Real Madrid could not give, which was playing every Sunday, whether I was doing well or not.
When I was a player I always said I would only play for Madrid.
The dream of everyone is playing in Spain, Madrid, or Barcelona.
When I was a Real Sociedad player, we lost on every occasion we visited Camp Nou. Maybe that is normal for a small team, but with Liverpool and Real Madrid, you expect more.
It bothers me to think I may never put on a Real Madrid shirt again. Madrid is the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.
The first painting that I realised I liked was ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Hieronymus Bosch, when I was six years old, at the Prado in Madrid. I still find myself returning there every time I’m in the city.
I have always seen myself as a Real Madrid goalkeeper and have never doubted my ability.
Everybody knows that there are quality players at centre back for Madrid and for me that’s the day-to-day challenge. That’s why it’s important to be ready to take advantage of every chance that comes up.
My family have absolutely no problem about me playing for Real Madrid. They have become Real Madrid fans.
The history of Real Madrid is impressive, and Cristiano Ronaldo added a piece more to the history of this club, but Real Madrid can’t stop. The player changes club, stops playing, retires and Real Madrid will still be here.
I had no interest in continuing with Real Madrid in the way that we were working.
Yes, the national team is all one team. We are not Real Madrid players, Barcelona players, Celta Vigo players… all of us are a group.
I have huge respect for Porto, a great club that’s always in the hunt for titles, but they aren’t Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
I have scored many goals with my head, ever since my time with River Plate in Argentina and then after at Porto and Atletico Madrid.
My decision was to go abroad, especially after winning the World Cup, and to go to Madrid was perfect. I was 100 per cent convinced of it.
Nobody thought Real Madrid could win three Champions Leagues on the trot, and they’ve done it.
I do try rallying. I do like rallying a lot. We have a rally car there in the countryside in Madrid. And everytime I’m there, I just jump in and have some fun. I really like rallying.
I like Sergio Ramos, who plays Real Madrid.
I was not a Liverpool fan or a Chelsea fan in Madrid. I was an Atletico fan. I still am. Maybe they’re the only badge I will kiss.
I grew up at Real Madrid and played there a long time.
To be able to compete in a Champions League final, to win it with Real Madrid and to score was incredible and exciting.
When I left Arsenal, it was because I had done everything there and a big club like Real Madrid wanted me and even David Beckham couldn’t turn them down.
If you go to Real Madrid, there’s no time to improve as a manager. You don’t have a chance to be a better manager, you already have to be the best.
The news of the open military help to Franco from Hitler and Mussolini, and the heroic resistance of the people of Madrid, Barcelona and the big cities fired a widespread wish to help the Republic and its people.
When I moved from Metz to Monaco, we reached an advanced stage in the Champions League, and we played against Real Madrid. It was one of most beautiful days of my life because I was lucky enough to get a signed shirt from the football legend Zinedine Zidane.
Of course I would have liked to have spent my whole life at Real Madrid, but if it cannot be, it cannot be, and you have to move on.
Eden Hazard would be a perfect signing for Real Madrid, not only for his talents as a player but also as a leader.
I felt the same when I went to Manchester United, to Madrid, to Leverkusen, and now at West Ham. The only pressure I have is my pressure. That’s it.
The planet is ill, everyone knows that. But I need to be optimistic, otherwise I would just be adding to the negativity. So every night I come on Madrid TV and read a piece of good news.
Unfortunately, my departure from Madrid was not pleasant, but those things are in the past, and I have learned a lot and matured.
I always play to win, as I proved at AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus. I want my players to have the same ambition.
With hindsight, if you want to play for Real Madrid, sacrifices need to be made but I was too young to understand. There are things I shouldn’t have said or done. It was early in my career, maybe too early. I didn’t know it was the only Champions League I’d win, for example.
Messi is phenomental but in my opinion, Cristiano is a special player because he does everything for Madrid.
The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is very big.
As Real Madrid is a team of stars, Bale would fit perfectly.
Real Madrid, they are the best counter-attacking team in the world.
I respect the opinion of the fans because their love is important, but when the things don’t go well, they have to support the players because we all want the best for Madrid.
When Real Madrid want you, it is difficult to say ‘No’ but, when I got there, I knew I could not stay longer.
I trust in myself, in my work, but if the day comes when Madrid do not want me, I’m going.
At the derbies between Real Madrid and Barcelona there is a great atmosphere.
At 21, Real Madrid or Barcelona would have been more difficult for me. If I play well enough at Chelsea, I could win my place in the starting team, and my priority is to play.
Real Madrid is the most important thing that happened to me, both as a footballer and as a person.
I’ll always be proud to say I played at Chelsea, at Valencia, in the youth system at Real Madrid, in the youth system at Real Oviedo, and for United.
