--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can be on a good team and not play at…" description: "\"You can be on a good team and not play at all.\" — Clint Dempsey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png" --- # You can be on a good team and not play at all. ![“You can be on a good team and not play at all.” quote by Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png) > “You can be on a good team and not play at all.” [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being part of a successful group doesn't guarantee personal contribution; effort matters. **In simple terms:** Team success needs individual effort. Key Takeaway Contribute actively, not just belong. Themes teamwork responsibility achievement Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - sports - workplace projects - volunteer groups Key Concepts collective success individual agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure you add value? - What prevents you from contributing? A Different Perspective Success without input can breed resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, if you're going to get traded, you're always looking for a good team to play with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-mean-if-you-re-going-to-get-traded-you-re-always-looking-for-a-good/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [If you want to be a good team, you have to play against the best teams. For me, personally, I want to have tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-dragic/if-you-want-to-be-a-good-team-you-have-to-play-against-the-best-teams/) [Goran Dragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-dragic/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [To be successful in football, you have to do things that put the team first. Everyone has to play their role, and if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/to-be-successful-in-football-you-have-to-do-things-that-put-the-team/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [If you spend £200million, £300m every year, obviously, even if you make mistakes, you have a good team, but without spending so much money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/if-you-spend-200million-300m-every-year-obviously-even-if-you-make/) [Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/) > [If you have a good midfield, you have a good team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casemiro/if-you-have-a-good-midfield-you-have-a-good-team/) [Casemiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casemiro/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating the building blocks for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sundquist/good-teams-incorporate-teamwork-into-their-culture-creating-the/) Ted Sundquist > [One of the things I learned playing on a good team is when the team wins, when you make the playoffs, everybody looks good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/one-of-the-things-i-learned-playing-on-a-good-team-is-when-the-team/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Study and keep your attention on whatever it is you're going into. Build a good team. The team needs to know what it's doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamerion-wimbley/study-and-keep-your-attention-on-whatever-it-is-you-re-going-into/) [Kamerion Wimbley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamerion-wimbley/) > [We're being very good team players here and very happy we've got a great working relationship with Reince Priebus and the RNC. They've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/we-re-being-very-good-team-players-here-and-very-happy-we-ve-got-a/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [As a manager, first and foremost I want a team with a good mentality, a team with character, a team that represents the club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/as-a-manager-first-and-foremost-i-want-a-team-with-a-good-mentality-a/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [I want my team to play well almost all of the time and have possession of the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quique-setien/i-want-my-team-to-play-well-almost-all-of-the-time-and-have/) [Quique Setien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quique-setien/) > [In the past, I played No. 10 and No. 9 sometimes when I had to help the team. I can play there and help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/in-the-past-i-played-no-10-and-no-9-sometimes-when-i-had-to-help-the/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [Obviously I need a coach, but it's not the main thing in my team. I can play good even without a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/obviously-i-need-a-coach-but-it-s-not-the-main-thing-in-my-team-i-can/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) ## More by Clint Dempsey > [Pressure brings the best out of people, or it can bring the worst out. It's just how you use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/pressure-brings-the-best-out-of-people-or-it-can-bring-the-worst-out/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [Every year is a roller coaster. I've enjoyed the struggle of having new coaches and having to prove myself over again. Being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/every-year-is-a-roller-coaster-i-ve-enjoyed-the-struggle-of-having/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [As I've become a professional, I just feel more pressure to produce, to score goals and get assists. I know I'm a good player,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/as-i-ve-become-a-professional-i-just-feel-more-pressure-to-produce-to/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I would like to thank all of the fans who have supported me throughout my career with the New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham, Seattle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-would-like-to-thank-all-of-the-fans-who-have-supported-me/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [Maybe the law don't always handle things, but that doesn't mean things don't get handled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/maybe-the-law-don-t-always-handle-things-but-that-doesn-t-mean-things/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I remember, growing up, losing a sister, and - life is short. Make the most of your opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-remember-growing-up-losing-a-sister-and-life-is-short-make-the-most/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I always kind of struggled a little bit with being captain sometimes, because sometimes you feel like you have to be someone that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-always-kind-of-struggled-a-little-bit-with-being-captain-sometimes/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [The more games you get, the more confidence you gain. I started to set the bar high for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/the-more-games-you-get-the-more-confidence-you-gain-i-started-to-set/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I loved playing with friends and talking trash over 'FIFA' and 'Mario Kart.' Then, in the early stages of my professional career, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-loved-playing-with-friends-and-talking-trash-over-fifa-and-mario/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I was a mama's boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-was-a-mama-s-boy/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [Any goal is a good goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/any-goal-is-a-good-goal/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [The most important thing is making sure that we survive because Fulham deserves to be in the Premier League - it's a great club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/the-most-important-thing-is-making-sure-that-we-survive-because/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I have a lot of great memories of playing in Dallas as a kid, and I'm proud to represent Nacogdoches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-have-a-lot-of-great-memories-of-playing-in-dallas-as-a-kid-and-i-m/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I'm a kid from Nacogdoches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/i-m-a-kid-from-nacogdoches/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [You're just grateful for every day, grateful for every game you get to play in because you never know when it's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-re-just-grateful-for-every-day-grateful-for-every-game-you-get-to/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) [Explore all 104 Clint Dempsey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can be on a good team and not play at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clint Dempsey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Football" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/clint-dempsey-4960_football_you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-a_1397337.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can be on a good team and not play at all.” — Clint Dempsey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clint Dempsey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can be on a good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-can-be-on-a-good-team-and-not-play-at-all/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```