--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided to play for Portugal because I…" description: "\"I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I had no chance of playing for Brazil.\" — Deco" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg" --- # I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I… ![“I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I had no chance of playing for Brazil.” quote by Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg) > “I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I had no chance of playing for Brazil.” [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He chose Portugal believing Brazil would never select him, seeking opportunity elsewhere. **In simple terms:** Chose Portugal over Brazil for better chances. Key Takeaway Seek where you’re valued. Themes career identity opportunity Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - professional sports - career decisions - national pride - talent scouting Key Concepts national team selection self‑belief Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities are you overlooking? - How do you assess realistic chances? A Different Perspective Limited chances may still exist in chosen path. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Portugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portugal/) ## Related quotes > [It'll be different playing against Brazil, but I play for Portugal with all my heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/it-ll-be-different-playing-against-brazil-but-i-play-for-portugal/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I chose to play for Portugal and I will defend that shirt until the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-chose-to-play-for-portugal-and-i-will-defend-that-shirt-until-the/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [Playing for Brazil is a huge pleasure. I think it's a huge pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernandinho/playing-for-brazil-is-a-huge-pleasure-i-think-it-s-a-huge-pride/) [Fernandinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernandinho/) > [To be in the national team is wonderful in it's own right. For me, playing against Brazil or Venezuela is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-batistuta/to-be-in-the-national-team-is-wonderful-in-it-s-own-right-for-me/) [Gabriel Batistuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-batistuta/) > [My bandmate once pissed his pants when we were playing in Brazil - but we weren't embarrassed, we were proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-macklovitch/my-bandmate-once-pissed-his-pants-when-we-were-playing-in-brazil-but/) [David Macklovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-macklovitch/) > [Playing for Chelsea doesn't compare to the pressure of playing for Brazil because we've won the World Cup five times. It's not only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar/playing-for-chelsea-doesn-t-compare-to-the-pressure-of-playing-for/) [Oscar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar/) > [Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century, the (Rothschild) brothers conducted important transactions on behalf of the governments of England, France, Prussia, Austria,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/throughout-the-first-half-of-the-nineteenth-century-the-rothschild/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [Portugal is much like Brazil - the weather, the people, the food and the language is also a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk/portugal-is-much-like-brazil-the-weather-the-people-the-food-and-the/) [Hulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk/) > [Soon after I was born, my parents moved to the South Florida area, and I've lived here ever since (with a few years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-tex/soon-after-i-was-born-my-parents-moved-to-the-south-florida-area-and/) [Joe Tex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-tex/) > [Because of my Portuguese heritage, I have an interest in all of the instrumentation that comes from Portugal and Brazil as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-furtado/because-of-my-portuguese-heritage-i-have-an-interest-in-all-of-the/) [Nelly Furtado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-furtado/) > [When Garcia died, and I decided not to play, I came out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kreutzmann/when-garcia-died-and-i-decided-not-to-play-i-came-out-here/) [Bill Kreutzmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kreutzmann/) > [I was extremely frustrated, almost at the point of giving up on coming up with a name for the project (because I'm awful at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/i-was-extremely-frustrated-almost-at-the-point-of-giving-up-on-coming/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I have a connection with Portugal, I like the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-have-a-connection-with-portugal-i-like-the-country/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [My career was practically spent in Portugal, people on the street asked me to play for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/my-career-was-practically-spent-in-portugal-people-on-the-street/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I am Brazilian and love my country, but I don't regret playing for Portugal. It was and still is a way of thanking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-am-brazilian-and-love-my-country-but-i-don-t-regret-playing-for/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) ## More by Deco > [I will do my best wherever I am on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-will-do-my-best-wherever-i-am-on-the-pitch/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [Steven Gerrard is the best player in the Premier League. He has a lot of quality, moves around the field and attacks when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/steven-gerrard-is-the-best-player-in-the-premier-league-he-has-a-lot/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I think I can be compatible with Lampard on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-think-i-can-be-compatible-with-lampard-on-the-pitch/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I am Brazilian and love my country, but I don't regret playing for Portugal. It was and still is a way of thanking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-am-brazilian-and-love-my-country-but-i-don-t-regret-playing-for/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [In my opinion there are two Premier Leagues in the same season. In the winter, games are more difficult, especially around Boxing Day, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/in-my-opinion-there-are-two-premier-leagues-in-the-same-season-in-the/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [It's nice to play under pressure and know you can't fail. It's a nice responsibility to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/it-s-nice-to-play-under-pressure-and-know-you-can-t-fail-it-s-a-nice/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I would like to have played with VAR, I think it would have helped me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-would-like-to-have-played-with-var-i-think-it-would-have-helped-me/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [Everybody wants to see good football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/everybody-wants-to-see-good-football/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I have worked hard and I have had to overcome many obstacles, but now I am happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-have-worked-hard-and-i-have-had-to-overcome-many-obstacles-but-now/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [My career was practically spent in Portugal, people on the street asked me to play for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/my-career-was-practically-spent-in-portugal-people-on-the-street/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I'm at home in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-m-at-home-in-london/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [No-one can be compared to Pele.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/no-one-can-be-compared-to-pele/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [Scolari is the best coach to have. He knows all about pressure of being coach of Brazil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/scolari-is-the-best-coach-to-have-he-knows-all-about-pressure-of/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [Lampard would be really welcome in Barcelona, every good player is welcome here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/lampard-would-be-really-welcome-in-barcelona-every-good-player-is/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) > [I'm not a winger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-m-not-a-winger/) [Deco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) [Explore all 103 Deco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I had no chance of playing for Brazil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deco" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i-was-convinced-i-had-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Because" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i-was-convinced-i-had-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/deco-5100_because_i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i_1992041.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I decided to play for Portugal because I was convinced I had no chance of playing for Brazil.” — Deco", "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": "Deco", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deco/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I decided to play for Portugal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i-was-convinced-i-had-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deco/i-decided-to-play-for-portugal-because-i-was-convinced-i-had-no/#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 } } ] } ```