--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In all sports, people get competitive…" description: "\"In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that shouldn't happen.\" — Gary Lineker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png" --- # In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that… ![“In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that shouldn't happen.” quote by Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png) > “In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that shouldn't happen.” [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. Competitive instincts can lead to unfair or undesirable outcomes in sports and beyond. **In simple terms:** Competition can cause unfairness. Key Takeaway Guard against harmful competitiveness. Themes competition fairness sports Mood critical balanced Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - team sports - business negotiations - academic settings Key Concepts Game theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - When does competition become harmful? - How can you keep competition healthy? A Different Perspective Competition also drives excellence and motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sports People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-people/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody recognises that giving young people competitive outlet through sport is a very good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/everybody-recognises-that-giving-young-people-competitive-outlet/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [If you have a vision and you are trying to accomplish something, you have to be competitive, or things are going to slip by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-m-brant/if-you-have-a-vision-and-you-are-trying-to-accomplish-something-you/) [Peter M. Brant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-m-brant/) > [Since people, in a competitive or any other society, are by no means always just to each other, some regulation by the state in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-morley/since-people-in-a-competitive-or-any-other-society-are-by-no-means/) [Felix Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-morley/) > [Taller people get very competitive. When I meet someone who's close to me or taller, I'm straight up; I don't wanna be smaller than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristian-nairn/taller-people-get-very-competitive-when-i-meet-someone-who-s-close-to/) [Kristian Nairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristian-nairn/) > [There are probably still people that are competitive with each other, but I don't feel that's necessary. I like when we lift each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/there-are-probably-still-people-that-are-competitive-with-each-other/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) > [You have to surround yourself with people who want the best for you. That may seem like such a simple thing, but I've worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/you-have-to-surround-yourself-with-people-who-want-the-best-for-you/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [The most successful achievers in sports are people that are really driven and have that spirit of hunger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rei-kawakubo/the-most-successful-achievers-in-sports-are-people-that-are-really/) [Rei Kawakubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rei-kawakubo/) > [I think that it is interesting in sports, people love to see that hero-slash-villain aspect and in no way am I thinking about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/i-think-that-it-is-interesting-in-sports-people-love-to-see-that-hero/) [Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/) > [You could say I'm the pioneer in the way I have changed some people's perception of not only sports people but of gay men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/you-could-say-i-m-the-pioneer-in-the-way-i-have-changed-some-people-s/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [All field sports people are doing is turning an inevitable necessity into a pleasure. If the animal is going to be killed anyway, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-dickson-wright/all-field-sports-people-are-doing-is-turning-an-inevitable-necessity/) [Clarissa Dickson Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-dickson-wright/) > [I've grown up in a small town, and I played a lot of sports, so it was always between music and sports. People would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brynn-cartelli/i-ve-grown-up-in-a-small-town-and-i-played-a-lot-of-sports-so-it-was/) [Brynn Cartelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brynn-cartelli/) > [If you take the autobiographies of great sports people, they are almost always the same. They start with zero; they are always ambitious, know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petr-cech/if-you-take-the-autobiographies-of-great-sports-people-they-are/) [Petr Cech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petr-cech/) > [It isn't just sports people that need someone to look up to - everyone needs that: LGBT people, the general public. To be honest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-adams/it-isn-t-just-sports-people-that-need-someone-to-look-up-to-everyone/) [Nicola Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-adams/) > [Actors are very emotional, whereas sports people are used to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-revel-horwood/actors-are-very-emotional-whereas-sports-people-are-used-to-criticism/) [Craig Revel Horwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-revel-horwood/) > [I'm a rah, rah guy's guy. I like to talk about sports and put people in headlocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/i-m-a-rah-rah-guy-s-guy-i-like-to-talk-about-sports-and-put-people-in/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) ## 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. If he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/messi-doesn-t-have-to-do-it-in-the-premier-league-to-prove-himself/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People make mistakes. They say stupid things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-make-mistakes-they-say-stupid-things/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [To be honest, it would have been better to watch it on Ceefax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/to-be-honest-it-would-have-been-better-to-watch-it-on-ceefax/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [You can never really justify wages in the entertainment business, but it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/you-can-never-really-justify-wages-in-the-entertainment-business-but/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [I know people think that a lot of sports stars are a little bit up themselves, but they all have their heroes, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/i-know-people-think-that-a-lot-of-sports-stars-are-a-little-bit-up/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [The Leicester story is great for the game in England. 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 Competitive quotes > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) > [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/) [Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/) > [I just love this sport and it's so competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/i-just-love-this-sport-and-it-s-so-competitive/) [Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/) > [Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-must-be-in-the-same-competitive-situation-including-on-the/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [Uruguayans are competitive, and we always want to win. Even though we try to hide it, it is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-godin/uruguayans-are-competitive-and-we-always-want-to-win-even-though-we/) [Diego Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-godin/) > [I'm quite competitive. Not with other models but with myself. I have to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arizona-muse/i-m-quite-competitive-not-with-other-models-but-with-myself-i-have-to/) [Arizona Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arizona-muse/) > [I'll miss the competitive side and the camaraderie of being around the players and competing each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ll-miss-the-competitive-side-and-the-camaraderie-of-being-around/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [We always want to see each other do well. And I think we all want to win. As competitive as you are, you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/we-always-want-to-see-each-other-do-well-and-i-think-we-all-want-to/) [Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/) > [Any physical practice can be a competitive sport. What level you can take postures to create the maximum challenge and show your maximum skill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajashree-choudhury/any-physical-practice-can-be-a-competitive-sport-what-level-you-can/) [Rajashree Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajashree-choudhury/) [Browse all 1,008 Competitive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that shouldn't happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary Lineker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-things-happen-that-shouldn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competitive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-things-happen-that-shouldn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/gary-lineker-2899_competitive_in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-thi_2383895.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In all sports, people get competitive; things happen that shouldn't happen.” — Gary Lineker", "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": "Gary Lineker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In all sports, people get competitive;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-things-happen-that-shouldn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/in-all-sports-people-get-competitive-things-happen-that-shouldn-t/#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 } } ] } ```