The Funniest Sports Quotes of 2023: From Thomas Müller to Harry Kane, MOPO Presents the Year’s Most Hilarious Interviews

imago/Sven Simon “I also have carrots and sticks at home. My wife is always good at getting me back on track. There’s no need to mope too much, otherwise there’ll be something behind the scenes.” (National soccer player Thomas Müller from FC Bayern Munich on January 9th about dealing with his World Cup disappointment)

“There are carrots and sticks at my house too. My wife is always good at getting me back on track. There’s no need to mope too much, otherwise there’ll be something behind the scenes.” (National soccer player Thomas Müller from FC Bayern Munich on January 9th about dealing with his World Cup disappointment)

IMAGO/Eibner “I first asked: Is there no one else?” (Rudi Völler on January 20th about the situation when the DFB advisory group first suggested him as the new sports director at the German Football Association)

“First I asked: Is there no one else?” (Rudi Völler on January 20th about the situation when the DFB advisory group first suggested him as the new sports director at the German Football Association)

imago/Sven Simon “You can see how hard and tough this sport that we fell in love with can be.” (Dortmund coach Edin Terzic on May 27th after missing the championship with BVB)

“You can see how hard and tough this sport that we fell in love with can be.” (Dortmund coach Edin Terzic on May 27th after missing the championship with BVB)

imago/Camera4 “After the birth of my children, this is the second place in my life.” (Basketball national coach Gordon Herbert on September 10th about the meaning of the World Cup title)

“After the birth of my children, this is the second place in my life.” (Basketball national coach Gordon Herbert on September 10th about the meaning of the World Cup title)

imago/ActionPictures “I don’t see any further development with either of them.” (Coach Thomas Tuchel from FC Bayern Munich on November 3rd when asked what he said to the football TV experts Lothar Matthäus and Dietmar Hamann, who were during his term in office had not recognized any further development in the Munich game)

“I don’t see any further development with either of them.” (Coach Thomas Tuchel from FC Bayern Munich on November 3rd when asked what he said to the football TV experts Lothar Matthäus and Dietmar Hamann, who did not see any further development during his term in office Munich game had recognized)

imago/Jan Huebner “A bit surprising that it is so big. On TV I didn’t really notice that he had a good stature.” (DFB captain Ilkay Gündogan on October 11th about the first impression of national coach Julian Nagelsmann)

“It’s a bit surprising that it’s so big. On TV I didn’t really notice that he had a good stature.” (DFB captain Ilkay Gündogan on October 11th about the first impression of national coach Julian Nagelsmann)

imago/press photo Baumann “Money is above everything. The uniqueness of German football is being thrown overboard for a hopeless rat race with the Premier League.” (The fan alliance “Our Curve” on December 11th on the German Football League’s decision to enter into a strategic partnership with an external investor)

“Money is above everything. The uniqueness of German football is being thrown overboard for a hopeless rat race with the Premier League.” (The fan alliance “Our Curve” on December 11th on the German Football League’s decision to enter into a strategic partnership with an external investor)

imago/Sirotti “On the way I thought my power meter was going crazy. The numbers were so high.” (Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard on July 18th after his victory in the individual time trial)

“On the way I thought my power meter was going crazy. The numbers were so high.” (Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard on July 18th after his victory in the individual time trial)

picture alliance/dpa/DSV | Jo Kleindl “There is no time for sightseeing. I have to make up for that at some point after professional sport.” (Open water world champion Florian Wellbrock on July 16th about his program at the World Swimming Championships in Japan)

“There is no time for sightseeing. I have to make up for that at some point after professional sport.” (Open water world champion Florian Wellbrock on July 16th about his program at the World Swimming Championships in Japan)

imago/Xinhua “Lions sleep 18 hours a day, have sex four hours a day and eat for two? That doesn’t sound so bad, to be honest.” (Tennis professional Alexander Zverev jokes about comparing fans to a lion at the French Open on June 6th)

“Lions sleep 18 hours a day, have sex four hours a day and eat for two? That doesn’t sound so bad, to be honest.” (Tennis professional Alexander Zverev jokes about comparing fans to a lion at the French Open on June 6th)

Imago/ Pro Sports Images “We don’t stop playing football, nor do we stop loving football.” (National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on August 3rd after the early exit of the German footballers in the preliminary round of the World Cup)

“We don’t stop playing football, nor do we stop loving football.” (National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on August 3rd after the early exit of the German soccer players in the preliminary round of the World Cup)

picture alliance/dpa/Keystone | Laurent Gillieron Special notes “If politics decide who can or cannot take part in the Olympic Games, that would be the end of sport in the world.” (Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, on March 28 on the question of the return of Athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions)

“If politicians decide who is allowed to take part in the Olympic Games or not, that would be the end of sport in the world.” (Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, on March 28 on the question of the return of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions)

IMAGO/Eibner “She has already won a lot and is our gold mom after the World Cup.” (Ski jumper Selina Freitag on March 1st about teammate Katharina Althaus, who won three gold and one bronze at the World Championships in Planica, Slovenia)

“She has already won a lot and is our gold mom after the World Cup.” (Ski jumper Selina Freitag on March 1st about teammate Katharina Althaus, who won three gold and one bronze at the World Championships in Planica, Slovenia)

picture alliance/dpa | Martin Schutt “When your mom is watching, you have to make an effort.” (Biathlete Denise Herrmann-Wick on February 10th after her sprint gold at the home World Championships in Oberhof)

“When your mom is watching, you have to make an effort.” (Biathlete Denise Herrmann-Wick on February 10th after her sprint gold at the home World Championships in Oberhof)

imago/Newspix24 “I really packed for many days, but not until tomorrow. I have to say that honestly. I’ve been wearing the same pair of socks for four days now. But now it’s a mess.” (Ice hockey striker Nico Sturm on May 27th after the German national team’s unexpected entry into the World Cup final)

“I really have packed for many days, but not until tomorrow. I have to say that honestly. I’ve been wearing the same pair of socks for four days now. But now it’s a mess.” (Ice hockey striker Nico Sturm on May 27th after the German national team’s unexpected entry into the World Cup final)