[Didier] Drogba sent me a text message after I won the African Player of the Year award. It made me very happy.

Before I arrived here [ Borussia Dortmund], a lot of people were questioning about whether I could ever play as a striker, that I was a guy who could only run down the wing quickly.

I've played in France. There, in many matches everybody is already happy if he can secure a point. Here, in Germany? Forget it! Everybody wants to win. The last-placed team in the standings would take any match with the ambition to win it. That makes it so hard, even for the best teams in the league.

With [Samuel] Eto'o, I talked a lot about his great career and how I could become a better player.

I was always sure the Bundesliga was the right choice for me. My first season was solid, if unspectacular, so maybe I would have preferred it not to be so hard at the beginning, but I've worked very hard to get to this point and want to get even better now.

Speed is a part of me. I think I was born with that, and nowadays a fast player, I need a fast car, too.

I try to stay as young as these rookies are.It feels a bit strange not to be anymore the youngster I used to be. But I'm okay with it. Mostly, I enjoy being on the pitch with so many talented players around me.