Generation Quote by Adebayo Akinfenwa

I have genuine empathy for the fact that if you're a professional footballer, you've often started at three years old, you've been found, you've…

— Brett Goldstein

I want people not to be surprised when I say I'm a professional footballer, especially for younger girls, looking up and realising that it…

— Leah Williamson

At 17, I already had responsibility because I took care of my family, but in the football I was young; I wasn't experienced or…

— Pele

Here, I have an opportunity to affect the lives of a lot of young people - and not just on my football team. I'm…

— Joe Paterno

A lot of kids, when they get to 18 or 19, they start getting flashy and forgetting about the real basics of being a professional footballer.

— Reiss Nelson

At 36 years old I can look back on a long and wonderful time in professional football, which I could never have dreamed of…

— Michael Ballack

By joining Common Goal, I hope I can encourage the younger generation of players to think about social responsibility in their lives.

— Giorgio Chiellini

I really loved football from a young age. And my only thought, my only objective in life, was to be a professional footballer.

— Paul Pogba

I was brought up correctly and in the right way, and my parents are very proud of the fact that I am a professional…

— Sadio Mane

I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I could make it as…

— Stuart Dallas

I think it's brilliant to see players you've grown up with on the international stage come through to senior level.

— Phil Jones

I've been playing for England at every single youth team level, so it's like a natural progression into the seniors, and I'm obviously delighted…

— Danny Welbeck