Michail Antonio Quotes

Michail Antonio

Profession : Footballer

Birth : March 28, 1990

I'm just trying to play my football right now and whatever happens, happens.

Michail Antonio

When I was 14 I had a trial for Tottenham. They were thinking of signing me but my mum said no. She said education comes first. Did I hate her at the time? You couldn't imagine. I was crying and all sorts.

Michail Antonio

Being back in London is like a dream for me to be honest.

Michail Antonio

A lot of my friends who were bigger than me at school got into academies at professional clubs but none are pros now. And none of them has put on an England shirt.

Michail Antonio

I'm not that refined academy player who's going to pick the ball up, pass it and be neat and tidy all the time. I'm a player who's going to get it and run at the full-back, run in behind.

Michail Antonio

I'm quite ragged. People say 'raw,' and some people don't like raw. They prefer it neat and tidy but you can't be neat and tidy and also be leaping above people at the far stick to score goals.

Michail Antonio

England need players who are hungry - not guys who think they should be there because of who they are and what they have done previously.

Michail Antonio

Players should be picked on form, not reputation.

Michail Antonio

I always believed I was a Premier League player, but in the first few months when I wasn't getting a game I started to doubt whether I was good enough. Everyone kept on telling me: 'Wait for your opportunity and make sure that you take it' - and that's what I did.

Michail Antonio

Academy wingers always pick up the ball and then cut inside or lay it off. No one runs at players like I do, or gets to the back stick and overpowers a defender.

Michail Antonio

Racism doesn't affect me. I've realised now that racism is down to the person doing it. It doesn't affect my life.

Michail Antonio

You calling me anything doesn't affect my life. I'm still going to go home and give my Mrs a kiss, give my kids a cuddle.

Michail Antonio

I've had people shout in my face trying to irritate me. I go: 'I'm not here to fight, I'm here to love.'

Michail Antonio

You come to me and punch me in my face I'm going to protect myself.

Michail Antonio

Being honest, when I was playing for Tooting & Mitcham, I was buzzing, thinking: 'I'm semi-pro.' Then when I made my debut in League One, I was buzzing again, thinking 'I'm pro.' Then it was the Championship, then the Premier League, and then called up for England. And each time it happened, it was a surprise to me.

Michail Antonio

I never think 'I've made it' because, in football, you can be forgotten within two weeks and I don't ever want to be forgotten.

Michail Antonio

I want to always be better and make my career last as long as possible.

Michail Antonio

It does make me proud to know where I've come from and how hard I have worked, but I'm also scared of it, because I know what I've had to do, and I don't ever want to go back to that situation. It drives me more to be better.

Michail Antonio

Some of my closest friends are Angelo Ogbonna, who's Italian, and Pablo Fornals who is Spanish. His English is good but is not proper. There's enough for me to understand what he's got to say and we can go out and have a meal and be able to speak to each other through it so it is quality.

Michail Antonio

Everyone all over the world can be in one changing room, can get along.

Michail Antonio