The African greats who were playing when I was growing up inspired me - players like George Weah, Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, Kalusha Bwalya, and all the others who made Africa proud.
— Michael Essien
Milan is good, and I am settling in nicely, which is important. Everyone is friendly at the club and are looking after me well, so I can't complain.
Poverty is everywhere, but in Africa, there is more.
I had a fantastic career at Chelsea. I was here for almost nine years, and it was great. I have nothing negative to say at all. It was all positive.
Everything is good at Cobham. I really enjoy it here. I always have a bit of treatment in the morning, and then I go training. It's good.
Indonesia was good - and crazy, too! It was a great experience to play there. I enjoyed the football. It wasn't easy. It's very hot.
As a young boy, all we used to watch was the Premier League at that time. I know the FA cup is quite important. It's as important as the Premier League in England. And I had a chance to win it over our biggest rival, and it was also in the new Wembley. It was a great moment.
My children have to know where they come from and the way of life in Africa.
I still feel Ghanaian, but my mentality is more European.
Teams struggle when they come to Stamford Bridge and, if we score one or two, everything seems to open up for us. We need to work hard to get into that position in the first place, but you can see what happens once we are ahead.
I'm the kind of person who likes to be lonely. I got my head down and focused on getting fit.
I'm a man of few words. I don't really like talking.
Together with Milan and our media team, we released a statement clearly stating it was a hoax and there was no truth in the rumour that I had Ebola. And that's when the whole thing started to die down. Still, it took about two days or so for people to actually stop talking about it.
Highs have to be all the trophies I won with Chelsea over the 8-9 years I was with them there. We had a good group, and we were winners from the goal keeper right throughout the team. These are the highs you never forget as a player.
When I was growing up, I always liked playing football, and my mum always took me to football games. I owe her a lot. She was my pillar. She was the biggest influence on me.
I'm just a normal person out there enjoying his football. If there's anything I can do to make a better life for the kids in Ghana, I will do it.
I loved playing at Anfield, but it could be quite intimidating because you come out of the tunnel and see their fans singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone', and it gives you goosebumps.
When I'm about to play in a big match, I take things easy.
Why haven't I retired? I love this game too much.
I had an amazing time at Chelsea. I can't pinpoint to a specific event, but the best moment was the honour of signing for Chelsea because I was proud to be at such a club.
I always spend my summer in Ghana. I don't go anywhere else.
Ghanaians and English people enjoy football the same.
I've always enjoyed getting forward, pushing up-field to help us in our attacks, but I think you can still do that from a central position, too. You don't have to sit deep all the time.
It's a big surprise for me because if somebody asked me when I was playing if Frank Lampard would be a manager, I would say no because he's very quiet.
I've been following some of the coaches, trying to get a little bit more experience, because coaching is very different from being a player.
I had always said I will like to play for Milan at some stage in my career, so when the opportunity came up, I grabbed it with both hands.
I want to give back to my community, little things I think they need. I went there to open a borehole and a public lavatory and give them a book about myself that we wrote with 'Right to Play.'
As a child, I always wanted to come to the Premier League, so when I made the move, I was very happy. Chelsea were on the up - they were doing really good - so I was very excited, and in the end, everything went well here for me.
I like watching tennis and basketball, but it's not every day you can watch it on TV. I don't play them, though.
I sleep 14 hours a day. That helps me get the energy you see on the pitch.
I like Singapore; it is very clean. People speak English and are warm.
When I was little, my dream was to come and play in the Premier League. So when Chelsea came in, I said yes straight away.
I'm not a difficult person. I just want to enjoy my football until I hang up my boots.
As a kid, I always wanted to play in Europe.
I don't think I've still got things to show Carlo Ancelotti. He has seen me play a lot, even before he was our manager, and he knows what I can do.
I've played at the highest level, so I'm just looking forward to enjoying the football, so anywhere there is interest, then yeah. I will consider it.
Within weeks of the Ebola hoax dying down, the guys at Health Africa International approached my friends George Weah, Mahamadou Diarra, and I to be part of the initiative in using various forms of communication to promote a Ebola prevention education programme.
