Quote by Richard Williams

What they say about footballers being ignorant is rubbish. I spoke to a couple yesterday and they are quite intelligent.

— Raquel Welch

People just assume, over the years, that soccer players are not too intelligent. As with most assumptions, they're wrong.

— David Beckham

I feel sorry sometimes for these sportsmen and women who put in just as much effort as the footballers. For example, athletes train at…

— Angela Merkel

I think sometimes people look to players to act out, speak loudly, pretty much be an idiot. But that's not me.

— Donovan McNabb

It's a bad place when you see sometimes how coaches treat people. I don't even want to say players. I want to say people.…

— Ray Lewis

Everyone who knows us knows how we always encourage players to speak out, to be open and honest, to be critical. These things are…

— Joachim Low

I used to do standup about footballers; they are easy targets because they are traditionally seen as stupid.

— Romesh Ranganathan

As much as footballers want to talk about how terrible it is for them, look at what's happening in the black community of kids…

— John Barnes

Football players are misunderstood. They aren't the dumb jocks people think they are.

— Simone Elkeles

I'd far rather talk about players. They are the people who make things happen.

— Jock Stein

Footballers need to be aware kids look up to them.

— Raheem Sterling

The players need to take responsibility for themselves.

— Tim Henman