10. My mantra is…

“There is a lot of mantra in our life. So, you always need to do the same thing. I go out with my dog every day, that’s my mantra. I pray every day. And then all related to the futbol, you do all this sort of stuff that you always do every day. Stretching and all that stuff is preparation. Anything else… phew. I am very lucky that I have a good cook at home – which is my wife – so I eat at home every day.

9. I’m scared of…

“I don’t have really many scares that I can think of. Put me in a situation and maybe I be scared of sharks. For sure of sharks. In the water you don’t know. You can’t control it. And I faced a couple, actually. I also faced a barracuda in the Caribbean. I didn’t know what to do. And I stand still, I look at him, and thank god he turned to his side and went. So, yeah. Snorkeling, snorkeling in the Caribbean, that scared me. Because after he turned around that was the quickest swim that I ever done in my life towards the beach.”

8. Something that’s on my bucket list…

“I want to win the MLS and be in the Allstar game.”

7. One random skill I have is…

“I can draw. It’s been a long time I don’t much now, but when I was a kid I used to spend a lot of time on that. I have some old [drawings], maybe one day I can show you some old draws of mine when I was a kid. I like to draw. Which people don’t know. Cause there’s not many times I get down and draw and give it out. My mom used to have some nice pictures, she did the frame and everything and I still keep it. Of when I was 12 and 13-years old.”

6. I can never pass this up when I’m out shopping…

“That’s difficult. I love trainers. So, I would say all kinds of trainers. Different colors, different styles. It’s something I really like in my outfit, the trainers.”

5. My guilty pleasure is…

“Pizza after games. After a win and a clean sheet. We need more clean sheets and a win, because those are beautiful.”

4. The best life advice I have ever received…

“Never, ever give up. Despite what happens to you, you need to adapt to life. And to be honest, if you always work hard and you never give up, somethings gonna happen in your life. And anything is possible, nothing is impossible and the dreams can come true.”

3. I’m currently binge watching this on Netflix…

“I just finished the Punisher on Netflix. I am not a Game of Thrones fan. I tried it, but I never managed to go beyond the second episode. And somebody told me I have to because after a while it gets better. I have to give it another try.”

2. Something I always have with me when I travel…

“So, when I travel I always have the chains from my dad and my mum. And a Rosario, which is like a book of prayers. And is something that I always have in traveling and in my locker. And is something that I take with me because they are always with me like that and I can always touch it before I go out on the pitch.”

1. I’m proud of myself because…

“I always kept fighting, regardless what life gave me. I had many difficulties. I lost my dad very young and kept going. I reached the high standards of Premier League and Champions League. So, I am proud of that. And then, I lost my mom as well after that. And even nowadays, I keep fighting. Fighting for them. So, I am proud of that which I am still having a career and I never gave up despite the sadness.”