Xabi Alonso

Growing doesn't mean renouncing your history.

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.

I don't think I will stop learning about football. There are certain parts we will never understand, like what happens in the brain of a player or makes a team fear.

When the results are good, everything seems prettier; when things go bad, it seems like all conflicts, personal disputes, and problems arise.

I've said a few times the Bundesliga is closer to the Premier League than the Liga.

Each time I watch a Liverpool game, I feel something special, especially whenever it's at Anfield, because it brings back great memories.

How many times have you seen me run into the box with the ball, dribbling past players? It's uncommon because it's not my game; it's not my thing.

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.

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.

I wanted to end my career still at the highest level, and Bayern is the highest level.

I have been progressing throughout my career, which is a very good sign.

I don't want to just play well; I want the players around me to play better, and that's when I feel that I have done my job.