The Week in Words: Ballon d'Or BS and Pelé bodies Messi | OneFootball

Luka Modrić was officially awarded the 2018 Ballon d’Or and there was tonnes of football going on all over the world.

Here’s a selection of the best soundbites from the last seven days.

Luka Modrić

On winning the Ballon d’Or

“These two [Ronaldo and Messi] were on some exceptional level for the last 10 years.

“Maybe in the past there are some players that could win the Ballon d’Or, like Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta or [Wesley] Sneijder, but it didn’t happen.

“People are finally, I don’t know, they wanted something else. I think it’s [a] victory for football tonight.

“I am happy that I am the winner but this award is for all these players that probably deserved to win but didn’t.”

Antoine Griezmann

On not winning the Ballon d’Or

“I won a Europa League, a World Cup, what else do I have to do? I do not know.”

Kylian Mbappé

On what you have to do to win the Ballon d’Or

“Be decisive from January to December because a Ballon d’Or is decided from January to December. That’s what I missed.

“I had some excuses but a Ballon d’Or has no excuses and I missed some things to get this trophy.”

Luka Modrić

On Zinedine Zidane’s clairvoyancy

“Here is something I will never forget: When Zinedine Zidane became Real Madrid coach, he called me into his office after training.

“He told me how he was seeing me as a player and what he was expecting from me.

“He said I was a very important player for him. And he said that he saw me as a Ballon d’Or winner one day.”

Ernesto Valverde

On Lionel Messi’s fifth-placed finish

“I’m not going to get into that, whether it’s right or wrong how an award ended up.

“I think the people who voted for it have to answer that. Everyone has their own opinion. To us it’s absurd.”

Diego Simeone

On who should have won the Ballon d’Or

“Everyone can choose who he thinks is the most appropriate. We congratulate Modrić; he had a very good season. For me, the best were Varane and Griezmann.”

José Mourinho

When asked to provide an injury update to Manchester United’s in-house TV channel

“I don’t want to update you.

“I would like Arsenal TV to ask the same questions but they don’t, they hide everything from the inside, so why should I answer to you.”

Pelé

On Neymar’s playacting

“It’s difficult to defend Neymar for all the things he does besides playing football. I spoke with him and reminded him of his ability.

“He was unlucky because Brazil did not win the World Cup and he was singled out.

“I’ve been with him in Europe twice. We talked and I explained: ‘The God of football gave you the gift. What you do complicates it.'”

Pelé

On why Messi will never be as good as he was

“How can you make a comparison between a guy who heads the ball well, shoots with the left, shoots with the right and another who only shoots with one leg, only has one skill and doesn’t head the ball well?

“How can you compare? To compare with Pelé, it has to be someone who shoots well with the left, shoots well with the right, and scores headers.”

Danny Rose

On Tottenham’s stadium woes

“It’s just not nice anymore. It’s lost its… I don’t feel it’s an honour to play at Wembley. We’re all itching to get in the new stadium and, hopefully, it’s not too much longer.”

Unai Emery

On Marouane Fellaini pulling Mattéo Guendouzi’s hair

“I think the best thing for the next match is for Matteo to cut his hair, and this problem is finished, like Fellaini did!”

Jorginho’s mum

On her son’s haunted house in Verona

“He was completely scared to death and went through bad moments there.

“He said it was dark, haunted, and he had to go to bed quite early. He could have given up.”

Jorge Mendes

On José Mourinho’s future

“There have been more rumours of José Mourinho leaving Manchester United. It’s totally untrue.

“José is very happy at the club and the club is very happy with him. He has a long-term contract with Manchester United and is fully committed to the club in building a solid winning project.”

Pep Guardiola

On the possibility of Manchester City being kicked out of the Champions League

“We will not be banned. It’s what I think, what I trust with my chairman, with my CEO, what they explain to me. I trust them.

“If it happens because UEFA decide that we will accept it and move forward.”

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc

On Ousmane Dembélé

“Now that he’s playing in Barcelona, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, this indiscipline seems to be still going on.

“I am relieved to note that this was not something that had anything to do with the circumstances here at Dortmund.”

French journalist Dominic Séverac

On Neymar’s future

“Of course Neymar could play in the Premier League.

“But from what I’m led to believe, a return to LaLiga is the biggest option and probably in the next few months.”

Claudio Ranieri

On Fulham’s performance at Old Trafford

“In the first half it was 11 lambs against 11 wolves. The wolves ate the lambs.”

Pep Guardiola

On the end of Manchester City’s unbeaten start

“We’re not here to be invincibles, or to be unbeaten, we’re here to try to be champions. It doesn’t matter. We want to make one point more than our opponents.

“Now, at the moment, Liverpool are better than us.”

Lionel Messi

On scoring two free-kicks in a game for the first time in his career

“I try to follow a routine a bit, trying to do it the same way so that it goes well again.

“Other times I have a lot of free-kicks and I do not put them in. I was lucky enough to get two in a row.”

Jordi Alba

On the Ballon d’Or

“The Ballon d’Or is a lie. There are many club and press campaigns.

“Everyone knows that Messi is the best player in the world by far.

“[Pelé] may not see it very well, if he says that about Leo. He has everything.”