In two years, I spent all my money on cars, watches, boots, discos, restaurants, and friends who, in reality, were not friends at all. For a boy like me, who grew up in a poor neighbourhood and without money, it was dangerous.
When I was younger, I didn't work hard because I could rely on my talent. That's not the right way.
In my life, there's been a lot of partying.
In football, things change quickly.
At my club, Portsmouth, my foot pains were diagnosed as a strain of the syndesmotic ligament.
Under pressure, I play best.
The Champions League is a very special one, as everyone switches one gear up.
For young people who are football players, Ronaldo should be the best in the world. He is the best example to look at because he trains to the fullest and has talent.
In what transcends this world, the best is Messi because he is incredible: he does things that nobody can do.
Ronaldo dominates this world, and Messi is above everything else.
I know - without sounding arrogant - that I could've played at Real Madrid... but I didn't work hard enough for that.
I don't like my first name.
I could hear from the crowd some monkey noises, and this went on for about 25 minutes. Every time I touched the ball, I could hear the crowd. I said to myself, 'In this kind of environment, in this situation, I don't want to play football anymore.'
I can honestly tell you that playing against Messi is very difficult.
Sometimes I wake up, and I'm a little bit grumpy, and I listen to soul. Sometimes I wake up, and I need some spirit, so I listen to rock n' roll. It depends on the mood I'm in.
Everybody has struggles in life, and mine was to come out of a tough area in Berlin. It helped me a lot on my way to becoming a professional footballer, to being an idol and a good role model.
When you're young, you don't think about what you want to be. I was just playing football because I had fun and enjoyed it. When I reached 16, that's when I was dreaming about becoming a footballer.
At my age - 31, nearly 32 - the No. 9 role is perfect for me. But it is important to adapt to whatever the team and the coach need.
I know what's it like when everyone has a go at you, when criticism is harsh, and your family is part of it. This drags you down, and you can't get on with your life.
Every single person I spoke with, when I said I might perhaps be moving to Modena, told me how great the food is, so much so that I had to say, 'I'm here to play football, not to open a restaurant!'
