Ever since Pele's extraordinary talents blessed the world of football, black footballers have been accepted in the pantheon of the greats. But to achieve commercial recognition is somewhat different: it requires a form of adulation that also spells identification and role model.
I didn't have a role model. My role model was Michael Jordan. Bad role model for an Indian dude... I didn't have anyone who looked like me. And by the time I was old enough to have what could have been a role model, they were my peers. Aziz Ansari is my peer. Kal Penn is my peer.
I'm not a role model, nor have I ever tried to be a role model. The only thing about me as a role model is I've managed to stay here and be working and survive. For 40 years.
For a black person who's Senegalese, growing up in France, or a New York Jamaican, that's a completely different relationship with being black and how you might be accepted in that culture or that world. Everyone's experience is different. Especially black women and black men.
I don't believe we have ever had a Black leader that was so widely accepted among the masses of people, as well as the leadership, in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, as Allah (God) has blessed me to be accepted.
My whole life, I feel so blessed. I met my wife: I can't get over that I got so lucky. I have two incredible children. I can't believe that I've been so blessed. I've had a career that is way past anything that I've ever dreamed. I get to work in all these different areas with such extraordinary people on every level.
Arsene Wenger's mentality has been to bring together footballers who bring happiness in our sport, the type of players I like to watch. I've followed him since he was in Japan, and he always was a guardian of the art of football - football with happiness and football played well.
Pele revolutionized football. Pele stopped a war. Pele united countries, united families.
I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I never really had a job. I was a football player, then a football coach, then a football broadcaster. It's been my life. Pro football has been my life since 1967. I've enjoyed every part of it. Never once did it ever feel like work.
When I played football was somewhat taboo for a girl. Today it's not as much of a problem. Not all girls want to play football but it's not a case of 'Oh my god she plays football, that's a bit odd.' It's a lot more accepted now.
It's inconceivable that you don't have to show identification in order to vote or that that the identification doesn't have to be somewhat foolproof.
It's great to be somewhat of a role model. I want to be a positive and good role model and lead by example and try to do the best I can. Playing good golf definitely draws attention, but I want to have a good attitude on the course and do the right things.
I've just been playing football for a long time. I've been playing football since I was a little kid, so it's just some natural blessings that God has blessed me with to get to the ball and understand what I've been doing over the years.
A show hosted by a black had never been accepted, so the first time that knob's turned on, people are judging against all they have ever been taught. I may have been the first black in the house.
For the world of football, Messi is a treasure because he is role model for children around the world.
Pele doesn't die. Pele will never die. Pele is going to go on for ever.
For the world of football, Messi is a treasure because he is role model for children around the world... Messi will be the player to win the most Ballons d'Or in history. He will win five, six, seven. He is incomparable. He's in a different league.