Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
The Bundesliga is a lucrative league, and in Germany, the best club is Bayern, and I wanted to play for the best club in Germany.
One of the great things about being a professional football player is visiting countries and seeing cultures you might never see.
It's more difficult to achieve something with the national team because players from several clubs get together and less frequently.
Food is a passion for me, especially Italian cuisine. I prefer to have somebody cook for me, but I can do some very nice pasta dishes.
Schalke are my club. I used to stand on the terraces as a fan, and I've realised my dream of making it as a pro right here at my club.
Bayern are a club where success is demanded, and second place isn't particularly appreciated. We have a history and culture to respect.
I have always been interested in finding new ways to play and have looked at handball keepers and ice hockey goal-minders. It helps me.
The calmness and confidence I take into matches has an effect not only on our rivals but also on my team-mates, who are counting on me.
I feel fit and well - I know that I have to look after my health, but turning 30 is no reason to start considering the end of my career.
Personal success means nothing if it isn't aligned with the success of the team. I consider myself to be a team player more than anything else.
I took responsibility in Munich from the beginning. But I could not walk in with splayed elbows into the club and say, 'Here comes the Schalke captain.'
In the past, goalies weren't even part of the team. They had their own dressing room. They didn't speak with the other team members. They were lone warriors.
A lot has changed for Germany since 2010. Back then it was not certain that I would be the number one. Now I'm glad about the responsibility I take for the team.
First of all, I am and I remain a goalkeeper, but I try to be involved as much as I can and to help the defenders. I try to read dangerous situations in advance.
Nervenstarke means that no matter the situation, I have to show my teammates that I remain prepared and confident and there for them. They have to feel my Nervenstarke.
I think at the age of 30, you still have youthful aspects, but at the same time, you have gathered enough experience to know how to succeed in life. I like this mixture.
Obviously, I couldn't imagine that my career would go so well. When I first started, I wanted to play out of goal. But there was no goalkeeper, and the coach put me in goal.
I have a lot of respect for Messi and for everything that he has achieved. He is very humble. But it's crucial to show authority when we meet on the pitch and show him who's boss.
I think as long as I feel good and am able to perform on a high level, I will keep playing because I love football so much. After that, I have many options but haven't set any goals.
The goalkeeper always starts again at nil, even when you're 2-0 down. It always starts again at scratch. It's a completely mental thing, and I keep reminding myself of it during matches.
It's obvious you always have to give everything in order to succeed. That's why playing at 80 per cent isn't enough - not against a 'normal' Bundesliga team. You always have to work hard.
I consider that part of my job as a pro: to know who you're up against and how the attacking players play, what kind of characteristics they have, their qualities, how they move, their preferred foot.
At Bayern, I was used to coming out of my box to try and clear up dangerous situations. The World Cup was just another platform, so it gave other people the chance to see me who don't watch German football.
After matches, the highlights show mostly the goals, scoring chances, assists. The spectator tends not to remember that, as a goalkeeper, I make difficult saves at great risk and start moves with my efforts.
With Bayern, we want a lot of ball possession and to control the play, so I operate sometimes like the 11th outfield player. Thus I am included a lot into the build-up play and have a lot of touches of the ball.
What's mostly left after a match? The scenes in front of the goal where the attackers are the highlights of the play. But doing the spectacular is not particularly important to me. I just want to play for my team.
I love playing football every day. I love working hard, I love training, I love the games; I love the challenge. As long as that still applies, I don't see any reason to call time on something that makes me so happy.
I have a good record in shoot-outs. In such moments, I'm always confident of making at least a couple of stops; I always feel the taker is under more strain. Worrying is the kicker's job, as he's expected to score, while I have nothing to lose.
The people on the streets just say 'hi' and let me walk on. They take relatively few photos, and those that do are tourists. Munich natives are relatively relaxed. They pretty much leave me in peace and I think that's very good. The Bavarian mentality fits very well to me.
The coach put me in goal, and back then, we were playing on bone-hard ground: red ash; we even trained on black ash, which was worse. That's not easy for a goalkeeper. My mother was always taking out her sewing kit for the countless holes in my training pants. For a long time, I had to buy my own gear.
I'm not the sort of person who poses in their underwear. I hate the red carpet. I prefer the green grass. After the games the highlights show mostly the goals, scoring chances, assists. The spectator tends not to remember that as a goalkeeper I make difficult saves at great risk and start moves with my efforts.
I have three goalkeepers who really inspired me. Jens Lehmann was my idol because he played for Schalke and was really progressive in the way he developed the position in Germany. I also have a lot of respect for all that Oliver Kahn achieved with the national team. Outside Germany, I would add that Edwin van der Sar was a big role model.
If I think I will get the ball, I go out. I can't stop halfway because the goal is empty and the player would have the opportunity to shoot. You make the reaction, and then, of course, you have to be sure to get the ball. But it's years of practice. You can't say from one day to the other, 'Now I will do it,' you know? You have to feel it.