Athlete

When younger, I was tall but very skinny. When I was 14, I grew and started gaining muscles. So I started doing sit-ups, abs work, press-ups, strengthening my core. I'd do 100-150 reps each day. I knew if my core was strong enough, I would get fewer muscle injuries.

You have to be ambitious in life.

I think I've proven that I've improved every part of my game.

I looked up to Cristiano Ronaldo, and then it was always Didier Drogba.

As a youngster, you normally have to play. How will you be one of the best not playing?

Everton as a football club has a great history.

If you want to be one of the best, you have to look at the best.

It's about winning games and scoring as many goals as possible.

My father was my hero when I was still a boy.

I never lift weights.

If you don't have ambition to be one of the best, someone will always come and take your place.

When you score, you are a hero.

Obviously, the World Cup is nice and the Euros is really nice as well, but I have always dreamed of the Champions League.

Hard work eliminates fear. That's how I think.

If you can't play under pressure, you shouldn't be at a World Cup.

In football, anything can happen. You can have an injury, and then you won't play at the highest level anymore. If you don't have a diploma, what then?

A move to MLS - you never know. New York or Los Angeles, you never know.

The billions watching and following the Premier League don't tune in to see you in training. They want to know what you can do in a match.

At the end of my career, you never know what might happen. I think that a move to MLS... maybe.

I play with Sacha Kljestan, and I talk a lot with him about playing in MLS.