“When I was five, I joined a club, 'Excelsior', the club of Kralingen, ...” — Robin Van Persie Quote

“When I was five, I joined a club, 'Excelsior', the club of Kralingen, in the first division. I was always training. On a free afternoon, I did individual work with Aad Putters, my youth trainer. Not with the idea growing to be a star, but for fun.”

“There is no doubt I'm learning new things and progressing with David Moyes. The sessions we have on the training ground are fantastic, and I'm learning a lot from them every day.”

“When I look at a football pitch, I suppose, yes, I see it as my canvas. I see solutions, possibilities, the space to express myself. I am always looking for ways to be creative, to gain an edge.”

“Nowadays, people often ask me when I came out, generalising from the experience of many young people who announce themselves to the world on a particular afternoon. But I did not divorce my reticence in a single sharp break. Rather, I seeped out like a spreading wine stain.”

“People want sport that they can go on an afternoon and watch with their kids.”

“I'd dropped out of high school without really doing it on purpose - I'd just go home at lunch 'cos I didn't have friends, then stay there all afternoon listening to rap. It got to the point where I wouldn't have passed even if I'd gone back. I was depressed, basically.”