RUUD VAN NISTELROOY

We have to be thankful to the Czechs that they did their duty. The Czech Republic won, I can't believe it. It was a huge party with all the people here.

Of course I have the odd bad game like other players. But I can't accept that. Especially when things don't go right for United. It all means so much to me to be succesful here. It drives me crazy at times.

In that match for Holland I asked for a big responsibility, I got it and I dealt with it. I played well, I scored goals and the team qualified for the Euro 2004 finals. It was a big night and an important moment for Holland.

When we got knocked out against Porto in the Champions League, I only slept two hours that night. I was not a nice person to be with after that match. I was struggling to get the result out of my system.

The country life near Manchester I really love.

I really want be of great value for the team.

When it comes to losing with United, I feel solely responsible for it. I can't help it. My brain will work like mad after a defeat. I want to know where I have made the wrong decisions, how I could have changed things for this fantastic club.

Certain things do not effect me anymore, which is not always good. There is always commotion, but I notice that hardly anything affects me or puts me out of balance.

Because people have read those things in the newspapers, they think it is true. Ten years ago all these things I have just mentioned would have upset me.

If I don't get the service or if I don't the ball in the box, where I want it, I start drifting into midfield. I go and look for the ball. I try to be important for the team in other areas.

Because of that I don't care when I read in the newspaper that I am colourblind. I went through a red light in my car and I stopped when I before a green light. So I must be really colourblind, eh?

I let people say and write what they want.

But really, I can only be dangerous for the team in one place, and that is in the box.

Losing is not in my vocabulary.

I personally think that we can win the World Cup. We are improving with every game. With such a young average age in the squad we can only carry on improving.

As a private person I think I am now totally different from Ruud van Nistelrooy the footballer.

My back to the goal, physically fighting off defenders, trying to bang my goals in, every week I have to do the business for this club. That's the life of a striker.

In Spain and Italy I would not have a life among the fans. Everyone wants to touch you, own you and approach you. I try to be as kind as possible to all my fans, but in those countries I could not do it. There they ask too much from you.

Most of the pressure comes from myself, not from others. I don't need a manager or a pundit to put pressure on me. I do all that myself before others do it.

I feel very strong as an individual, but as a famous footballer I know I am prone to certain things. All the media have a continuous interest for me. It varies from once a year to every day interest.

I think we have really integrated well around Manchester. This is the place where we feel at home. We like it here, we love the English way of life and we prefer it much, much more than the south of Europe.

The real big stars only keep this up for about seven years.

Every day I work my guts out in training, every match I play my heart out.

If you start to find that kind of luxury as a normal thing, you don't belong in the real world.

People say it is part of the game. You win some, you lose some. But not for me.