When I returned to Armenia after four months in Brazil, I was still quite skinny and weak, but I had technique and skill. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
As tough as it was for us with my father gone, my mother and sister were always pushing me. They even let me go to Brazil by myself when I was 13 to train with Sao Paulo for four months. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
You have to win every battle. Every small metre counts, and you have to win your duels. Then you will see you will win the game. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The year after my father died, I started football training. He was the drive for me; he was my idol. I said to myself, ‘I have to run just like him. I have to shoot just like him.’ – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It is very difficult when you grow up without a father because you don’t have a man who can give you direction and discipline. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
When I came first to Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp said, ‘Listen, Mkhitaryan, it’s your family name – it’s too long. So Henrikh, it’s too long. Let’s call you Micki. Are you okay?’ I said, ‘Okay, no problem.’ And since that day, they started calling me Micki. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
You have to try and do everything to show your best qualities; otherwise, you will not be here anymore. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I like to win the difficulties, because when you win the difficulties, it makes you stronger, so I’m trying to do everything to come up to a new level. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
When I was six years old, my parents told me that we were moving back home to Armenia. I didn’t really understand what was happening. My father had stopped playing football, and he was at home all the time. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I like to play attacking, like a winger, or an attacking midfielder, so it depends on the coach, where he’s looking at me for which position. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It is not only about being technically good, it is all about giving your heart for the club, giving your best. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Brazil was a very good experience. I learned a lot about how to play football, both technical and physical. There would be a hundred kids of all ages, training and doing classes together. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It’s always important to read, to know something about this world, so I try to learn, to know, to see what I can learn for myself. Be it from books, TV or the Internet, I try to know what happened in the world. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
You know that if you play football, you have to try to do the maximum, so I’m always doing the maximum for myself because when I retire from football, I want to sit down and think I did something good – I won this title, and I won this title. People will talk about what you have won, and that is the most important thing in football. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It was definitely not the salary that made me join Manchester United; I went for football reasons – for the history of the club, the league, the fans, and the coach because he is one of the best in the world. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Coming to Manchester, maybe I didn’t show all my potential, but in every game, I’m trying to do my best because it’s very important for me, the fans, and the club. Maybe in some games it doesn’t work, but I still keep working and trying to improve. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Every person has to keep in mind that they can grow up and reach the top, no matter where they are born, whether it’s in Russia, in Ukraine, in Europe; they’ve still got the opportunity to show their talent and the culture of their people. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
In 1989, when I was just a baby, we moved to France because of some conflicts that were brewing in Armenia. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you’re around them to understand. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I dreamed of being like Kaka, and Brazil was the home of that creative style, which the Brazilians call ginga. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Everything is up to the players and not the tactics. They’re just small details that can show you the way to play. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I went a long way to play in Manchester United, so nothing will prevent me from achieving my dream. – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
