Chris Smalling

It is nice to hear yourself being compared to great players.

Playing in the Manchester derby definitely helped me.

As players we don't want to be sitting on the touchline or watching the games in the directors' box. That is no fun.

Even before I went vegan, in terms of cutting out red meat, my tendinitis and recovery after games was vastly improved.

When we're winning or losing, when we're doing warm-ups or even when I'm walking down the street, there are United fans talking to me. I think that's something we all love.

I think Serie A has always been a goal of mine to play in one day, because as a defender if you get the chance to experience Serie A you want to do it.

I wish I knew in terms of more educated in food when I was younger. Because the importance of it not just in sport but in life too has helped me and I think it'll continue.

My mum tried her best. Now I try to make her life as enjoyable as I can because she has done so much for my brother and me.

I have a collage of pictures of my dad holding my brother and me. I look at that before every game just to remind me about having no fear or regrets and to go out and enjoy the moment, because I know how precious life is.

I didn't know too many people in life, not just in sports but in life, that were vegan, so it was something that I had to educate myself on fully before I could, one, do it myself, and, two, talk to others about it.

I would have gone to Loughborough to study business management and was looking forward to that very much.

You do see very few English players going abroad and those that do are largely good players otherwise they wouldn't have gone, but I feel a lot of their downfall is in the language. On the pitch you can learn the different basics of 'left,' 'right' and 'behind you' but off the pitch you want to have that influence around the team.