--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing for the national team, you are…" description: "\"Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole country wants you to succeed, but you mustn't get side-tracked.\" — David Alaba" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg" --- # Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole… ![“Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole country wants you to succeed, but you mustn't get side-tracked.” quote by David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg) > “Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole country wants you to succeed, but you mustn't get side-tracked.” [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Representing a nation brings pressure; stay focused on personal goals despite external expectations. **In simple terms:** National pride adds pressure, but stay on course. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal discipline. Themes sports national pride focus Mood determined reflective Type motivational advice When to use this quote - Olympics - professional leagues - training camps Key Concepts psychology performance pressure team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ambition with national expectations? - What routines keep you centered? A Different Perspective External expectations can cause burnout if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-wants-554384/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national/) [National team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-team/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Playing National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-national-730176/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Wants Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants-succeed-1576811/) ## Related quotes > [I've always said that there's a bit of a different sense of pride when you're playing for your national team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/i-ve-always-said-that-there-s-a-bit-of-a-different-sense-of-pride/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [I always look forward to playing for my national team, especially at a major tournament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-modric/i-always-look-forward-to-playing-for-my-national-team-especially-at-a/) [Luka Modric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-modric/) > [Playing with the national team is about pride. It's not about anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juancho-hernangomez/playing-with-the-national-team-is-about-pride-it-s-not-about-anything/) [Juancho Hernangomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juancho-hernangomez/) > [Of course there's going to be expectations when you're playing well in the national team. But you just have to deal with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wilshere/of-course-there-s-going-to-be-expectations-when-you-re-playing-well/) [Jack Wilshere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-wilshere/) > [Players must understand that if they go after more lucrative contracts, then they forfeit their chances of playing in the national team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-seedorf/players-must-understand-that-if-they-go-after-more-lucrative/) [Clarence Seedorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-seedorf/) > [The PCB needs to be clear in its stance on players who have been involved in corruption and tarnishing the image of the country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/the-pcb-needs-to-be-clear-in-its-stance-on-players-who-have-been/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [I love playing with the national team. I love being here as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/i-love-playing-with-the-national-team-i-love-being-here-as-much-as-i/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [Playing for the national team is not the same as playing for your club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niko-kovac/playing-for-the-national-team-is-not-the-same-as-playing-for-your-club/) [Niko Kovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niko-kovac/) > [I will keep playing for the national team until I feel I can't offer them anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/i-will-keep-playing-for-the-national-team-until-i-feel-i-can-t-offer/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [I think it would be pretty cool, whether it would be basketball or baseball, playing for a national team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-think-it-would-be-pretty-cool-whether-it-would-be-basketball-or/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [Playing for the national team is the highest accolade for me, as a player and as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-valanciunas/playing-for-the-national-team-is-the-highest-accolade-for-me-as-a/) [Jonas Valanciunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-valanciunas/) > [Obviously, none of us take for granted playing for the national team. None of us want to lose games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/obviously-none-of-us-take-for-granted-playing-for-the-national-team/) [Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/) > [You know, I want to be the uncommon one. I think it's pretty cool that I'm only 5'11", you know, and playing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-wilson/you-know-i-want-to-be-the-uncommon-one-i-think-it-s-pretty-cool-that/) [Russell Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-wilson/) > [“When you’re following your dreams, you quickly learn who wants you to succeed and who desires to see you fail. Pay attention and stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delano-johnson/when-you-re-following-your-dreams-you-quickly-learn-who-wants-you-to/) [Delano Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delano-johnson/) > [No child wants to fail. Everyone wants to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-green/no-child-wants-to-fail-everyone-wants-to-succeed/) [Al Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-green/) ## More by David Alaba > [Everyone is beatable, many things are possible in football. We have often seen this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/everyone-is-beatable-many-things-are-possible-in-football-we-have/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [Everybody who has ever played for Bayern knows how good this club is for its players. We are all grateful to be playing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/everybody-who-has-ever-played-for-bayern-knows-how-good-this-club-is/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [Patrick Vieira was one of my favourite players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/patrick-vieira-was-one-of-my-favourite-players/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [We try our best and we want to come out on the top at the end of the season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/we-try-our-best-and-we-want-to-come-out-on-the-top-at-the-end-of-the/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [Faith means a lot to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/faith-means-a-lot-to-me/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [You can be the better team and still lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/you-can-be-the-better-team-and-still-lose/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [Salah's one of the best players in the world. He's fast, but I've played against other fast players such as Mbappe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/salah-s-one-of-the-best-players-in-the-world-he-s-fast-but-i-ve/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [I played No10 for Austria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/i-played-no10-for-austria/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [It's every player's goal to become one of the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/it-s-every-player-s-goal-to-become-one-of-the-best/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [I used to spend hours on the laptop watching free kicks on YouTube - again and again. You obviously learn a thing or two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/i-used-to-spend-hours-on-the-laptop-watching-free-kicks-on-youtube/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [We have a great squad at Bayern Munich and our German players are very important for us - we know their qualities and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/we-have-a-great-squad-at-bayern-munich-and-our-german-players-are/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [The season lasts a long time, and we need not only a high-level squad but also a big squad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/the-season-lasts-a-long-time-and-we-need-not-only-a-high-level-squad/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [I love listening to hip-hop and going to concerts with Jerome Boateng; it's my hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/i-love-listening-to-hip-hop-and-going-to-concerts-with-jerome-boateng/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [It's clear I'm not the best singer and don't have the best voice, but you can work a bit of magic in a studio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/it-s-clear-i-m-not-the-best-singer-and-don-t-have-the-best-voice-but/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [We are Bayern Munich and we don't have to hide from any opponent!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/we-are-bayern-munich-and-we-don-t-have-to-hide-from-any-opponent/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) [Explore all 68 David Alaba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) ## More Aware quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'm trying to be very aware of not repeating myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/i-m-trying-to-be-very-aware-of-not-repeating-myself/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [If I've had roadblocks along the way for being gay, I'm not aware of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/if-i-ve-had-roadblocks-along-the-way-for-being-gay-i-m-not-aware-of/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [“Whenever you're around her she's calm. She's more aware. It's like you carry a frequency she can tune into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-laurens/whenever-you-re-around-her-she-s-calm-she-s-more-aware-it-s-like-you/) [Jennifer Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-laurens/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [Museums, I think, are becoming more and more aware of how to turn themselves into a must-see spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-barton/museums-i-think-are-becoming-more-and-more-aware-of-how-to-turn/) [Jake Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-barton/) > [“The more you become aware of and respond to the needs of others, the richer your own life becomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-marti/the-more-you-become-aware-of-and-respond-to-the-needs-of-others-the/) [Mollie Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-marti/) [Browse all 1,138 Aware quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole country wants you to succeed, but you mustn't get side-tracked.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Alaba" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aware-that-a-whole-country/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aware" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aware-that-a-whole-country/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/david-alaba-10100_aware_playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aw_2912725.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Playing for the national team, you are aware that a whole country wants you to succeed, but you mustn't get…” — David Alaba", "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": "David Alaba", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Playing for the national team, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aware-that-a-whole-country/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/playing-for-the-national-team-you-are-aware-that-a-whole-country/#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 } } ] } ```