I like to watch the NBA.
— Jerome Boateng
My favorite sneakers, growing up, were always the Air Force 1 and the Air Max line. I started collecting when I was 13 or 14 years old.
Over the years, you get better at timing because you've been through the situations thousands of times. The ball goes over your head; he passes you on the right, left. Eventually, you just know what you have to do.
You meet somebody on a bus or something, and they say, 'Thank you for the World Cup; it was so good to see,' and stuff like this - it's funny.
When you fall down or slip in a situation, and somebody scores a goal, it's normal. These things happen. It happens to me; it happens to other players, I don't care about these things.
It is not a normal game when you play against your brother.
Jay-Z is one of the biggest stars in the world and such an icon. He was so down to earth. It was like talking to a friend. I have huge respect for how he handles everything.
It's absolutely fine to be a bit more reactive and not chase after the ball at times. But you cannot be passive.
I play where the coach puts me and try to help the team.
I know my own mistakes; I know when I have to do better.
When you get a little bit older, you're always trying to do something different from your siblings.
My motivation is that I try to get myself to a certain point, and I want to win as much as I can in my career.
It's really difficult for me to watch when I'm unable to play myself.
The most important thing I learned during games is to be calmer, to try to smooth over other people's or my own mistakes, and not to tackle people unnecessarily. Patience was key for me.
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win, sometimes you are unlucky, but that's life.
Of course every manager has a different mentality, different philosophy.
I do feel my African side, but I've always wanted to play for Germany. Ghana did contact me, but I told them and my dad that I was sure I wanted to play for Germany.
I had injuries - even when I was younger, I had problems with my back. I had to grow up very fast.
You mostly defend with your head, always reacting to the movement of opponents and teammates. I had to become more aware of that, play with much more consideration, the way you drive a car: you always need to look left, right, and the rear mirror to see what's going on around you.
I like to play against strikers and think that, from my size alone, I'm more of a central defender.
I have to open the game from my position. It's really important to play with the ball.
I think it's very important that you have a good relationship with the fans. You can't lump everyone together as a fan - there are different types of fans - but I think it's important to speak to them and get to know them.
If I can understand criticism, I take it very seriously. But it's a process; it doesn't happen overnight.
You don't get anywhere without hard work. The earlier you understand that, the better.
To get the title for your home country in another country like Brazil, the home of football - it was amazing.
I had only one year in England and had not such a good time. Two times, I was out eight weeks with injuries.
When you have two daughters, you are complete. The whole day changes for you. It's a lot about them, how you act, how you feel, and when they were born; it's a completely new situation... Of course, sometimes you have to say, 'No, this isn't right.' But I always wanted to be a young father, and I am very proud of them.
Fatherhood has changed my whole life.
Keeping up your concentration is one of the hardest tasks when you're a centre-back because a team like Bayern tend to dominate and can give you sense of false security.
Messi is so quick; he's so good. For me, he's the best player in the world.
In Germany, young players are given more time, more patience. In England, they prefer to buy already-high-level players rather than spending some time building up a really talented young guy.
