Football: Quotes Of The Day

"I hope to play the game of my life" Marcelo Salas, Chile striker, prior to today's match against Italy

"Football requires intelligence. It's not just a physical game" Shoji Jo, Japanese striker, whose side face Argentina in their first game on Sunday

"Maybe sometimes we forget we are a small country, not like Italy, Spain and Germany, who have more players" Denmark's Michael Laudrup, due to win his 100th cap against Saudi Arabia tomorrow, trying to keep expectations within proportion

"The whole Moroccan people and their government are standing by you. Together we are with you in our prayers and are waiting for success" Morocco's Prime Minister, Abderrhamne El Youssfi, prior to last night's match against Norway

"I'm sorry for upsetting my team-mates and the entire camp by saying we've had poor preparations" Victor Ikpeba, Nigeria forward, apologising for some ill-chosen words to the press

"World football was the real loser by our absence" Slobodan Santrac, Yugoslavia's coach, on his side's enforced absence from the 1994 World Cup