My dad was a midfielder, like I am, and he was good, too. When I saw him playing as I got older, I could see he really knew how to play. He didn't have all the chances to grow and have a great career that I got, but he did what he could.

When I arrived at Roma, someone defined me as Giotto, 'The Painter,' but the nickname I prefer is the one I got from Captain Francesco Totti, 'The Little Prince.'

In 2008, I moved to Lyon, one of France's top clubs. I had some very strong team mates, and I proved to be at their level. I began training very hard and always respecting my coach's advice.

My dream was to become a footballer. I started loving football so much that I followed my dad wherever he went and spent all my time playing football with friends out in the fields. But my parents also taught me the important values and principles in life of respect and to raise me in that way.

I don't think I'd be the wrestler or the athlete that I am today if I didn't have some of the intergender matches that I have.

Every time a young player comes in, he is excited and wants to prove himself, but also in football, the other players want to prove themselves to any new player that comes in, so that competition is the only way to stimulate performance.

You want to stand out and be unique and do something different. I always try to zig when they zag - I guess it's a football term, but it applies to a lot of different areas of life.

I look at tennis as a bit of a platform to hopefully touch lives and encourage people.