I like, like today, meeting people with completely different interests than most footballers. You learn a lot of new stuff and listen to their view of life.

"I love London. But if I get married, perhaps my wife doesn`t want to live here but on the country-side."

"I was examined for cancer and HIV and anything you can think of. It was worrying" Freddie says concerning his lymphatic glands. "The doctors believed it was due to my tattoes. The glands were lead poisoned."

I`m planning to travel for one year first. I want to see the barrier reef, go on a safari, go snowboarding for a month..."

"When I quit (playng football) I`m going to miss the adrenaline kick from the big games. I might have to go parachuting or something, but I`ve got to find it somewhere."

Of course it is more fun to have the number 8 than number 34. In addition, it was Ian Wrights old number so it was of course an honour.

You get used to [being the centre of attention and photographed], he laughs, there’s been a lot through the years, like with Calvin Klein. In the beginning it was unfamiliar. Essentially I don’t like being photographed, not even in normal circumstances. When you were younger there was a few that always wanted to be in the pictures, I wasn’t that type at all. But it becomes a routine.

Normally I`m a jeans man, but I love suits too - Mastermind and Custume National make good ones. My favourite shop is Vertice on South Morton Street, London. And for underwear, it has to be Calvin Klein.

I think a play a lot better in the middle than on the sides because I´ve never played there before I came to Arsenal.

When I first got here, I felt great, I had a couple of injures and I never had the chance to settle down. I had played for 18 months on a row and it´s normal that the body feels tired.

"If you have 11 individual players who only thinks for themselves you don´t have a good team."

"To scored against Man United, created a connection between me and Arsenals fans."

"Football is my only sport right now, but I was interested in handball a while."

They played a physical game against us with a lot of long balls. It is our responsibility to get the ball down. Perhaps at the moment we are a little bit scared to hold the ball and we kick it long as well. That is not our way and our strength.

We`re not big-headed, but when you play for Arsenal, every time you enter a competition you are trying to win it, and that`s what we hope to do.

Our routine has changed a lot from four years ago,

We don`t feel any pressure. We`ll keep our feet on the ground and we know that if we play well, we will be able to get a good result.

Vieira was a great player, very physical and helped us in the middle of the park, but we`ve been working hard on this aspect of the game. We`ve filled in with young players who have done well but everyone needs time to grow, develop and learn. I`ve been here for a while and know that the physical side of the Premiership is a big part of it.

It`s a relief. I am really looking forward to this and to finally being playing tomorrow.

It was great to score but we didn`t win so of course we`re disappointed. I think we played well and created quite a few goal chances but unfortunately we did not manage to convert them.

It`s good to be feeling so fit before this tournament,

We are very happy, obviously.

I got a kick on my calf after four minutes in Sunday`s Premiership game with Newcastle and now the calf is like a dead leg,

Even if I am in a bad mood I have to smile and be nice to the fans.

It was the first game of the season and it was a difficult game to have at the beginning,

I`ve never had a photo shoot before where I was wearing next to nothing. But with a bit of thought, I decided it was a good thing to do. - referring to the billboard adverts of him wearing only his Calvin Klein underpants. (March 2004)

Of course 2-2 would be a good result for both teams,

I must wait and see. I will not risk anything if I`m not 100% fit.

Newcastle played quite defensively, but we had to keep playing and get through in the last 20 minutes, and we managed to do it.

There have been problems in the past and it`s difficult to get them out of your mind. It`s important for us to calm down and play our football because that`s what we do best. If you don`t and it gets physical, some of us aren`t that big.

Denmark could try to score and then we would be out. We are trying to win this game.

We are much fresher this time. After we scored the second goal (against Bulgaria) we really started to pass the ball around on the floor and they were the ones to get tired.

I think we can upset some of the big teams,

We have a lot of guys having to play in different positions, especially at the back. They`re not used to it and they`re doing the best they can. We know that and can`t expect any more from them.

" I have always enjoyed big games. There`s a special buzz round them. The pressure is bigger, and that`s why you play football. You raise your game."

I like to mix different styles. For me that`s fashion- when you can mix different stuff that maybe you don`t think fits together."

first, I think everybody is entitled to their opinion, and for me some gay people have a great sense of fashion and they`re articulate, so in that sense I really think it`s flattering that people think I`m gay. Some people might be embarrassed about it, but it really doesn`t bother me. My girlfriend knows what I am!

I love the Scandinavian Furniture," he says, "I just saw too much of it as a kid"

"My game is all about speed and dribble, so I`ll always be a target, but sometimes I do get a little bit of stick when I buy something new, and sometimes the other players will laugh at what I`m wearing when I turn up in the dressing room, but then, at the end of training, they come up to me and say quietly, `Hey, Freddie! Where did you get that jacket?`"

I feel that girls are going to make me lose my concentration before a game," he laughs. "I want to keep the feeling in my feet. It sort of disappears if you have sex before a match. I`ve tried it and my feet felt like concrete when I was supposed to kick the ball," he says

"I am not gay," he tells me wearily. "But gay men can be very fashionable, so maybe it`s a compliment."