--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fundamentally, footballers don't look…" description: "\"Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing room and think, 'He's a black player... he's Japanese.' They don't think like that. They think,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b4/gary-lineker-2899_defend_fundamentally-footballers-don-t-look-aro_3092001.png" --- # Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing… ![“Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing room and think, 'He's a black player... he's Japanese.' They don't think like that. They think, 'He's a good player; he can help. He's not very good.' I'm not trying to defend anyone's actions, but there are going to be isolated incidents…” quote by Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b4/gary-lineker-2899_defend_fundamentally-footballers-don-t-look-aro_3092001.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b4/gary-lineker-2899_defend_fundamentally-footballers-don-t-look-aro_3092001.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b4/gary-lineker-2899_defend_fundamentally-footballers-don-t-look-aro_3092001.png) > “Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing room and think, 'He's a black player... he's Japanese.' They don't think like that. They think, 'He's a good player; he can help. He's not very good.' I'm not trying to defend anyone's actions, but there are going to be isolated incidents because it's an emotive, passionate sport.” [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that professional football players judge teammates by skill, not ethnicity, yet acknowledges occasional isolated incidents due to the sport’s emotional intensity. **In simple terms:** Players are judged by ability, not race, though bias can surface. Key Takeaway Focus on skill, challenge prejudice. Themes sports bias teamwork identity emotions Mood critical empathetic analytical Type observational social When to use this quote - team selection - coaching discussions - media analysis - fan interactions Key Concepts implicit bias team dynamics social pressure Questions to Reflect On - How can teams foster truly inclusive cultures? - What role does emotion play in on bias? A Different Perspective Bias may persist despite stated ideals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dressing room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dressing-room/) [Footballers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballers/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) ## Related quotes > [I want to be the first player to show what Japanese batters can do in the major league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/i-want-to-be-the-first-player-to-show-what-japanese-batters-can-do-in/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) > [And as long as I'm passionate about the sport, I'm able to do that and I'm happy, then I would love to do another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/and-as-long-as-i-m-passionate-about-the-sport-i-m-able-to-do-that-and/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [I think all children like futsal. Making quick decisions, moving fast when you're in difficulties on the pitch; it teaches you a lot. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-costa/i-think-all-children-like-futsal-making-quick-decisions-moving-fast/) [Douglas Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-costa/) > [I'm passionate about my sport and grateful that I get to do it for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/i-m-passionate-about-my-sport-and-grateful-that-i-get-to-do-it-for-a/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [Now I'm looking forward to the new challenge of growing the world's most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/now-i-m-looking-forward-to-the-new-challenge-of-growing-the-world-s/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [I had practiced with the team, and the first scheduled game was with the University of Missouri. 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You never hear about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/larry-bird-is-overrated-in-a-lot-of-areas-why-does-he-get-so-much/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [They used to say, 'If we find a good black player, we'll sign him.' They was lying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cool-papa-bell/they-used-to-say-if-we-find-a-good-black-player-we-ll-sign-him-they/) Cool Papa Bell > [If you're a white kid growing up and you see a Black player and he's got the name of your college or your town…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-you-re-a-white-kid-growing-up-and-you-see-a-black-player-and-he-s/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [But when a black player calls a white owner a slave master that's dangerous. It's one thing to say an owner is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/but-when-a-black-player-calls-a-white-owner-a-slave-master-that-s/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) ## More by Gary Lineker > [Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance-in-my-life-time-never-really/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People have no idea how hard football is, absolutely no idea. It's all about pace. You can say, 'Yeah, you've got speed of thought'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-have-no-idea-how-hard-football-is-absolutely-no-idea-it-s-all/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Congratulations to Thierry Henry on a truly wonderful career. One of the great footballers of our time and a top bloke. Bonne chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/congratulations-to-thierry-henry-on-a-truly-wonderful-career-one-of/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People are possibly not spelling 'Leicester' correctly everywhere round the globe, but they are at least saying it correctly now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-are-possibly-not-spelling-leicester-correctly-everywhere-round/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [What you learn is that you can't please everyone all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/what-you-learn-is-that-you-can-t-please-everyone-all-the-time/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Messi doesn't have to do it in the Premier League to prove himself. The Champions League is the ultimate club competition. 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It's great for the appreciation of the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-leicester-story-is-great-for-the-game-in-england-it-s-great-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [The whole kiss-and-tell thing is a negative approach that often happens in a World Cup. We will see negative stories about the players and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-whole-kiss-and-tell-thing-is-a-negative-approach-that-often/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Playing football and presenting TV are totally different things, but there are similarities: it's exciting, it can go well, it can go badly... the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/playing-football-and-presenting-tv-are-totally-different-things-but/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [It's nice to have the power of Twitter to correct things that were incorrect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/it-s-nice-to-have-the-power-of-twitter-to-correct-things-that-were/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [ ...an excellent player, but he \[Ian Wright\] does have a black side. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/an-excellent-player-but-he-ian-wright-does-have-a-black-side/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) [Explore all 146 Gary Lineker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) ## More Defend quotes > [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. 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It's the one weapon I have to defend myself against destiny when it elects to strike without pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/swearing-s-my-release-it-s-the-one-weapon-i-have-to-defend-myself/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [Having kids is the deal-breaker on shyness! Once you have a baby, you learn to speak up loud and clear to protect them, defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/having-kids-is-the-deal-breaker-on-shyness-once-you-have-a-baby-you/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [We will defend ourselves, and we have full rights to do so. If the authorities try to destroy us, we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-defend-ourselves-and-we-have-full-rights-to-do-so-if-the/) Sergei Udaltsov > [I definitely want to defend my 145 belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-nunes/i-definitely-want-to-defend-my-145-belt/) [Amanda Nunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-nunes/) > [In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were exterminated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/in-1911-turkey-established-gun-control-from-1915-to-1917-1-5-million/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [“There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/there-are-always-those-who-take-it-upon-themselves-to-defend-god-as/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“defend women’s right to be wrong, at least occasionally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/defend-women-s-right-to-be-wrong-at-least-occasionally/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [There are a lot of things you can practise to unsettle teams that defend deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didier-deschamps/there-are-a-lot-of-things-you-can-practise-to-unsettle-teams-that/) [Didier Deschamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didier-deschamps/) > [The more you defend a lie, the angrier you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-more-you-defend-a-lie-the-angrier-you-become/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I'm very willing to defend creative things that I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-m-very-willing-to-defend-creative-things-that-i-believe-in/) [Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/) > [Sometimes it is difficult to play against teams who just drop back and try to defend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadio-mane/sometimes-it-is-difficult-to-play-against-teams-who-just-drop-back/) [Sadio Mane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadio-mane/) Browse all 993 Defend quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing room and think, 'He's a black player... he's Japanese.' 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