Midfielders Quotes

• The only great English midfielder in my career was Paul Scholes. He had elegance in him. Others were pretenders.

  Andrea Pirlo

  Careers, Elegance, Paul Scholes

  69 Copy quote

• A good midfielder has eyes in the back of his head, that's the secret in a nutshell

  Ernst Happel

  Eye, Secret

  46 Copy quote

• I play in a position that demands hard work and generosity and little glamour, but I like it.  It’s my job and I like it.  I would rather intercept and steal 10 balls than shoot.  That’s what I’m here for, to make everyone else’s jobs easier.

  Sergio Busquets

  Football, Jobs, Hard Work

  80 Copy quote

• My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.

  Zinedine Zidane

  Opponents, Scholes, Manchester

  49 Copy quote

• Every time I step onto the field, whether people like it or not, I'm not trying to play dirty - I'm just playing tough. And I'm trying to earn my spot on the team. I'm trying to earn a starting spot. I'm trying to become a complete midfielder who attacks, who defends. So that's the mindset.

  Carli Lloyd

  Team, Dirty, Play

  Source: www.slate.com

  79 Copy quote

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• In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.

  Xavi

  Strong, Player, Years

  38 Copy quote

• In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen - the most complete - is SCHOLES

  Xavi

  Years, Lasts, Scholes

  41 Copy quote

• Every player wants to be as complete as possible and goals for a central midfielder are very important.

  Andres Iniesta

  Player, Goal, Important

  20 Copy quote

• Some people tell me that we professional players are soccer slaves. Well, if this is slavery, give me a life sentence.

  Bobby Charlton

  Soccer, Sports, Football

  1960 Quoted in Peter Ball and Phil Shaw The Book of Football Quotations (1989).

  76 Copy quote

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• Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.

  Zinedine Zidane

  Generations, Scholes

  26 Copy quote

• To me Paul is a role model. He is the best midfielder I've seen in the last 15 or 20 years.

  Xavi

  Years, Role Models, Roles

  16 Copy quote

• Who is the Best Player in the World? Leo Messi.

  Marco van Basten

  Player, Messi, World

  12 Copy quote

• I can’t think of a striker in the world who has scored so many important goals, never mind a midfielder.

  Thierry Henry

  Thinking, Goal, Mind

  9 Copy quote

• This stupid celebrity thing is just a consequence of being good at what you do. I mean, no one would photograph David Beckham if he wasn't the best attacking midfielder in the country - much as I hate Man. U!

  Nick Moran

  Country, Stupid, Hate

  "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

  8 Copy quote

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• Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team.

  Marcello Lippi

  Team, Choices, Together

  "Paul Scholes earns plaudits from football's elite". www.theguardian.com. April 22, 2009.

  10 Copy quote

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• You can't ask every player to do the same thing. That's why we have amazing midfielders, defenders, forwards and keepers. You can't ask them to be of the same mold.

  Tiffeny Milbrett

  Player, Mold, Gamer

  9 Copy quote

• Steven Gerrard is the best player I've ever played with.

  Luis Suarez

  Player, Scholes, Best Players

  10 Copy quote

• For me, Marouane Fellaini has been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the last few seasons. If he continues to improve at United, we’ll have a really good player on our hands.

  David Moyes

  Player, Hands, League

  17 Copy quote

• Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. An all-round midfielder who possesses quality and character in abundance.

  Marcello Lippi

  Team, Character, Choices

  "Paul Scholes earns plaudits from football's elite". www.theguardian.com. April 22, 2009.

  12 Copy quote

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• Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes, he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would had loved to play alongside him.

  Pep Guardiola

  Play, Generations, Manchester United

  "Scholes Tribute: The World’s Top Players On The Ginger Prince". redflagflyinghigh.com. May 31, 2011.

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• I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It's Paul Scholes. Players like Denis Law and George Best who I enjoyed so much as team-mates and now, finally, players I have watched closely in the Alex Ferguson era. And in so many ways Scholes is my favourite. I love his nous and conviction that he will find a way to win, to make the killer pass or produce the decisive volley.

  Bobby Charlton

  Football, Team, Winning

  "Paul Scholes Earns Plaudits From Football's Elite". www.theguardian.com. April 22, 2009.

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• You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.

  Zinedine Zidane

  Regret, Opportunity, Play

  65 Copy quote

• I can't understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it's because he doesn't seek the limelight like some of the other 'stars'.

  Thierry Henry

  Stars, Player, Awards

  38 Copy quote

• I've still got Paul Scholes' shirt at home which I swapped with him once. When I was at Liverpool he was one of the players I liked most. Maybe he's not valued as much as he should be in England because of the style of football there and because he keeps a low profile. Perhaps he would have been more valued in Spain, where midfielders like him form part of the 'ideal.' Fans in Spain rate him very highly and I admire him a huge amount.

  Xabi Alonso

  Football, Home, Player

  "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

  24 Copy quote

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• He will be England captain one day. Jack Wilshere is a real leader. I saw how he spoke with the referee and the other players [against Denmark]. It is difficult to find someone so young with such a big personality. I remember two defenders, Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi, and one attacker, Raul, but for personality and confidence on the pitch he is the best young midfielder I have seen for his age.

  Fabio Capello

  Real, Player, Two

  16 Copy quote