Ruud van Nistelrooy's Quotes

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.

Losing is not in my vocabulary.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

I let people say and write what they want.

I really want be of great value for the team.

Italy and Spain really are not my countries.

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

The country life near Manchester I really love.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.