Andrea Pirlo Quotes

Iniesta deserved to win the Ballon d'Or. To win it, you have to be lucky that the attackers have not done so well. If Messi and Ronaldo score 50 or 60 goals, they will always give it to them.

I don't really care about having more fame than I have.

As for me, prizes are nothing. My prize is my work.

Winning titles plays a big role in the Ballon d'Or race.

For all of the achievements and awards, to be able to retire as a Raider ranks highest among all of those.

I have achieved lots of things throughout my career that are very, very good, but if they rewarded me with a Ballon d'Or, that would be historical.

It's nice to win an award, I would assume. I've never won one, but I would imagine it's great. I have no idea what I'll do.

My goal was never to be the best. I always wanted to make my money, and, of course, I always wanted to win my fight. Because if you keep winning, people got to say 'yeah, he is the best middleweight.' But to be honest I don't care.

The Ballon d'Or is nice, but at the end of the day, I want to have success and play good, and if people recognise me, then I'm happy.

History shows that it is incredibly tough for a defender to be named Footballer of the Year because over the course of a year there is normally always a forward who steals the headlines up front.

People are so quick to say someone is a fantastic player and deserves to win the Ballon d'Or after just one good year. I disagree with that.

The Ivory Coast had been begging for ages. The country and the fans love me already, and I haven't even done anything. I may not get the red carpet - it may not have the same Nike deals as when you play for England - but I'm going to be playing, I'm going to be loved, and that's all I want. Nothing else.

I've been All-Pro first-team twice.

I personally am not very interested in awards or the awards circuit.

Medals were - and always will be - the best thing to show your accomplishments in football.

The Ballon d'Or is a subjective matter.

The Ballon d'Or? It's up to the journalists to vote. I do not go to bed every night thinking about it. I just try to do my best and score as many goals as possible.

People who love the applause should have it, but I don't care for it.

I don't bother about awards.

I'm proud I was first to be named World Player of the Year, in 1991.

As long as I'm happy, I don't care about accolades or anything else.

Personally, I like Jerome Boateng. He is physically strong.

Paolo Maldini never won, but he was the best defender in the world. Gianluigi Buffon never won; he was the best goalkeeper in the world for many years. But this is the story of the Ballon d'Or.

It does not matter if I'm Man of the Match.

I always want to win, and it was time to win some club prizes, some titles. I never would have gone for the money, but wanted the chance to get a bit further in my career. And it turned out to be the right decision.