I am very proud to be African. I want to defend African people, and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans.

When you get the respect of the fans, it's very hard not to be happy.

The fans sing my name around the world. When I meet fans, they ask, 'How are you? All good with your family?'

To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans. I don't want to be hard, and I don't want to be negative, but I want to be honest.

I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to achieve something big.

I just had a normal African childhood; we played football a lot, but it was always in the street and always without shoes. Boots were very expensive, and when there are seven in your family, and you say you want to buy a pair, your father wants to kill you.