I’ve no regrets at all, but I still think at times that I would have loved to play in England. You live football over there; it’s a great culture. People respect you more; it’s more difficult to find respect in Spain. There is more criticism here.
To me Paul is a role model. He is the best midfielder I’ve seen in the last 15 or 20 years.
There are two types of football – there’s physical football and football talent.
Celtic, like Barcelona, are more than a football club. Our clubs are a symbol of a culture and community that has not always been made welcome in their respective countries.
Like so many of the players, I started at La Masia at the age of 11. I can’t ever imagine not playing for Barcelona, let alone not playing soccer for a career. I don’t ever want to play anywhere else.
In futsal, you see whether a player is really talented. You notice the small details in quality, class and tactical understanding.
I liked the Paul Ince and Roy Keane partnership Manchester United had. They would have been my team had I moved to England.
In football, the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There’s something greater than the result, more lasting – a legacy.
Some teams can’t or don’t pass the ball. What are you playing for? What’s the point? That’s not football. Combine, pass, play. That’s football – for me, at least.
In England, footballers are respected more, the game is more noble, there’s less cheating. Every Spaniard who goes loves it – and comes back a better player. If I had ever left, it would have been to England.
If he continues like this then I think Messi will be the best player in the history of football.
Iniesta is easily Spain’s most complete player. He has everything.
I would loved to have played with Scholes. He plays the game the way it should be played and at his peak he was the best midfield player in the world.
Maybe one small regret is that I never got to play with Paul Scholes – but I was never going to leave Barcelona and he was never going to leave Manchester United.
I don’t actually watch many shows. I will either watch movies or football. I enjoy to watch games in the Premier League and will also watch movies a lot as well. That is how I relax.
England really is the birthplace, the heart and soul of football. If Barcelona had Liverpool’s fans, or Arsenal’s, or United’s, we’d have won 20 Champions Leagues, hahaha!
The way I see it, Messi is the best player in history. He is the one who changes the course of games; he’s the best. There is no comparison in my view; he’s the world number one and by a margin.
I like to read the papers. I make my living from football, and I like to know what’s going on.
Ibiza is a popular vacation place for a lot of the players in Spain. If you go in the summer, there are some of the world’s most famous movie and music stars, so nobody cares about soccer players.
I’d love to play at Wembley. It’s special for Barca – and for everyone in football.