Van Persie: I want to win it all with Arsenal

Striker Robin van Persie says that he desperately wants to add to the two trophies he's won at Arsenal so far.

The Dutchman has been one of the star performers in the side this season, and is currently the club's second highest goalscorer with 8 goals, 1 behind captain Francesc Fabregas.

The Gunners are currently on a good run of form, unbeaten in their last 13 games in all competitions and are second in the table with a game in hand.

van Persie said: "So far I have only won two trophies at Arsenal - the FA Cup and the Community Shield. That's not enough and I would hate to finish my career having won only those here.

"I desperately want to win the Premier League and the Champions League with Arsenal and I truly believe that's possible.

"But... I get the chance to play with the likes of Fabregas, Arshavin, Eduardo, Walcott, Nasri and Rosicky - great players who play a beautiful game.

"Then I watch some teams on TV and think: 'Oh my God, this is so ugly!'

"That helps me realise how special it is to be at a club like this. I want to win it all with Arsenal."

Childhood vices

van Persie also reveals how giving up certain childhood vices helped him focus in his ambition to become a professional footballer.

The 26-year-old, now the father two a son and daughter, revealed how he grew up in a rough neighbourhood and had to keep away from bad influences to realise his ambition to play professionally.

And it was football that helped get him through those difficult moments in his early life.

He added: "My life could easily have been completely different.

"I came from a very rough neighbourhood in Rotterdam where there were so many cultures all mixed together.

"I was one of the only white Dutch guys there - my friends were from Africa, Surinam, Morocco, Turkey.

"And, of course, there were distractions. Like when I was younger and was in a shop buying candy - I would pay for one but then take another one.

"I did that sort of thing here and there. We were kids and we all did it. But when I got to 14, I found myself at a crossroads in my life.

"I could have easily gone astray. I saw people doing stupid things - my team-mates, my colleagues, my friends.

"For instance, my friends tried to make me have a drink, have a cigarette and stuff - well, you know, it was Holland.

"But I was always more interested in football, that was what I wanted to do more than anything. So I never did those things.

"I never went to that dark side. It would have been easy to have done it - half the team was doing it, most of my friends were doing it. But I did not.

"I just felt it was not right to smoke, to drink, when you are just 14. Everyone told me to try it but I always said 'no'.

"And the other day I looked at a picture of my under-14s football team and I looked at the ones who were doing those things and also at the ones who weren't.

"And do you know what? The ones who did it - none of them made it!"

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