--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was 22, and getting into a World Cup…" description: "\"I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you dream about as a kid, so finishing third was fantastic.\" — Henrik Larsson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg" --- # I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you… ![“I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you dream about as a kid, so finishing third was fantastic.” quote by Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg) > “I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you dream about as a kid, so finishing third was fantastic.” [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving a lifelong dream, even if not the ultimate goal, still brings great satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Dreams fulfilled bring joy. Key Takeaway Celebrate progress, not just perfection. Themes sports dreams achievement gratitude perseverance Mood proud reflective inspired Type motivational personal inspirational When to use this quote - career milestones - team sports - personal development - youth aspirations Key Concepts Motivation goal setting self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - What does ‘third place’ mean to you? - How do you define success beyond winning? A Different Perspective Success can feel incomplete without the top prize. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cup/) ## Related quotes > [It is clear that for any player of Barcelona's youth squad their dream is to play for the club's first team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/it-is-clear-that-for-any-player-of-barcelona-s-youth-squad-their/) [Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/) > [It's a goal to get myself in the squad for the World Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-barkley/it-s-a-goal-to-get-myself-in-the-squad-for-the-world-cup/) [Ross Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-barkley/) > [I'd love to go and I'd love to play for my country and go to a World Cup again. I've got to accept I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/i-d-love-to-go-and-i-d-love-to-play-for-my-country-and-go-to-a-world/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [I had the idea to bring an experimental squad to the Confederations Cup in 2014.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-low/i-had-the-idea-to-bring-an-experimental-squad-to-the-confederations/) [Joachim Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-low/) > [The player picked as No 23 in the squad will not win the World Cup for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sven-goran-eriksson/the-player-picked-as-no-23-in-the-squad-will-not-win-the-world-cup/) [Sven-Goran Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sven-goran-eriksson/) > [If you've got an opportunity to improve your squad before a World Cup you must take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/if-you-ve-got-an-opportunity-to-improve-your-squad-before-a-world-cup/) [Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/) > [To win the World Cup is not about one player, it is about a squad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/to-win-the-world-cup-is-not-about-one-player-it-is-about-a-squad/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [It's what you dream of as a kid, playing for your country and winning a World Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-calvert-lewin/it-s-what-you-dream-of-as-a-kid-playing-for-your-country-and-winning/) [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-calvert-lewin/) > [Playing for Juventus is something you dream about when you're a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-dybala/playing-for-juventus-is-something-you-dream-about-when-you-re-a-kid/) [Paulo Dybala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-dybala/) > [Obviously, the World Series run in 2010, that's something you can only dream of as a kid, so to have it actually happen is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/obviously-the-world-series-run-in-2010-that-s-something-you-can-only/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) > [It was always a dream for me as a kid to become the No 1 DJ in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/it-was-always-a-dream-for-me-as-a-kid-to-become-the-no-1-dj-in-the/) [Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/) > [This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid... I'm passionate about being a world champion, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kell-brook/this-has-been-a-dream-of-mine-since-i-was-a-kid-i-m-passionate-about/) [Kell Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kell-brook/) > [Donald Trump is living proof of the American Dream. A kid from Queens, New York, who made it big. And, yeah - he'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-regan/donald-trump-is-living-proof-of-the-american-dream-a-kid-from-queens/) [Trish Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-regan/) > [My dream since I was a kid was to show in a gallery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/my-dream-since-i-was-a-kid-was-to-show-in-a-gallery/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [The Premier League is amazing. It's everything you dream of as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-coady/the-premier-league-is-amazing-it-s-everything-you-dream-of-as-a-kid/) [Conor Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-coady/) ## More by Henrik Larsson > [Everything was professional at United. They really take care of their players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/everything-was-professional-at-united-they-really-take-care-of-their/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [I have now played with both him (Cristiano Ronaldo) and Ronaldinho. And Ronaldo is top in Europe at the moment. Both of them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-have-now-played-with-both-him-cristiano-ronaldo-and-ronaldinho-and/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [If the club is doing good, the club is getting income, then the club can share it with the players. But when the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/if-the-club-is-doing-good-the-club-is-getting-income-then-the-club/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [Football is all about self-confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/football-is-all-about-self-confidence/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [The dreadlocks were easy to maintain: I got up in the morning and flicked my head. If they got too big, I'd pull them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/the-dreadlocks-were-easy-to-maintain-i-got-up-in-the-morning-and/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [I can't be Martin O'Neill; I can't be any of the other coaches - I have to make my own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-can-t-be-martin-o-neill-i-can-t-be-any-of-the-other-coaches-i-have/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [There would have been no Barcelona, and a lot of other things besides, for me if I hadn't signed for Celtic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/there-would-have-been-no-barcelona-and-a-lot-of-other-things-besides/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [The thing that is really important is that the players have the drive to do something more with their football. If you have that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/the-thing-that-is-really-important-is-that-the-players-have-the-drive/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [I think, as long as I'm in this line of work, I'm always going to be mentioned when Celtic are looking for a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-think-as-long-as-i-m-in-this-line-of-work-i-m-always-going-to-be/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [I think the day you underestimate the importance of the job at Celtic Football Club, that's the day when you fail. I've seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-think-the-day-you-underestimate-the-importance-of-the-job-at-celtic/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [There are players who tend not to look at the money short-term: they have a bigger plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/there-are-players-who-tend-not-to-look-at-the-money-short-term-they/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [He(C. Ronaldo) makes the most difficult plays look easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/he-c-ronaldo-makes-the-most-difficult-plays-look-easy/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the Premier League and in the whole of Europe. The things I have seen him do since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/cristiano-ronaldo-is-the-best-player-in-the-premier-league-and-in-the/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [The career I had at Celtic, the amount of goals and assists and the relationship with the fans and the club, I can't regret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/the-career-i-had-at-celtic-the-amount-of-goals-and-assists-and-the/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [When I was 18, I had a trial at Benfica, when Sven-Goran Eriksson was the manager. Then, at 21, I was working for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/when-i-was-18-i-had-a-trial-at-benfica-when-sven-goran-eriksson-was/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) [Explore all 34 Henrik Larsson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) ## More Cup quotes > [The World Cup was the biggest thing ever for the national team, but the Champions League is the biggest thing for clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-villa/the-world-cup-was-the-biggest-thing-ever-for-the-national-team-but/) [David Villa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-villa/) > [I like to sit down, relax, have a cup of coffee on the terrace and read a book. I like to travel the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/i-like-to-sit-down-relax-have-a-cup-of-coffee-on-the-terrace-and-read/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [My oldest daughter got married, she had a wedding in Hawaii and a reception in Nashville, and in between I had a Cup date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-trotz/my-oldest-daughter-got-married-she-had-a-wedding-in-hawaii-and-a/) [Barry Trotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-trotz/) > [Even a cup of coffee tastes so much sweeter because you've come once again out of the, literally, out of the edge of death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-koch/even-a-cup-of-coffee-tastes-so-much-sweeter-because-you-ve-come-once/) [Christopher Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-koch/) > [I can't live without my cup of tea. When I was a judge on 'America's Next Top Model,' they had to put me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-can-t-live-without-my-cup-of-tea-when-i-was-a-judge-on-america-s/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [I'm not your usual cup of tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/i-m-not-your-usual-cup-of-tea/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [I love the FA Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/i-love-the-fa-cup/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I love Davis Cup. I respect it from my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-tomic/i-love-davis-cup-i-respect-it-from-my-heart/) [Bernard Tomic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-tomic/) > [It's got to be harder in real life to win a World Cup. But depending on if you play World Class level on FIFA,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/it-s-got-to-be-harder-in-real-life-to-win-a-world-cup-but-depending/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [I've missed out on a European Cup final because I was injured three weeks beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-neill/i-ve-missed-out-on-a-european-cup-final-because-i-was-injured-three/) [Martin O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-neill/) > [FA Cup or league - we look to win every game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/fa-cup-or-league-we-look-to-win-every-game/) [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/) > [I became an India player in January 2009 and was therefore paid Rs 40 lakhs. However, in my contract, my category continued as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravindra-jadeja/i-became-an-india-player-in-january-2009-and-was-therefore-paid-rs-40/) [Ravindra Jadeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravindra-jadeja/) Browse all 477 Cup quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you dream about as a kid, so finishing third was fantastic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henrik Larsson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-squad-is-what-you-dream-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cup" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-squad-is-what-you-dream-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/henrik-larsson-18525_cup_i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-sq_1177891.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was 22, and getting into a World Cup squad is what you dream about as a kid, so finishing third was…” — Henrik Larsson", "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": "Henrik Larsson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was 22, and getting into...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-squad-is-what-you-dream-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/i-was-22-and-getting-into-a-world-cup-squad-is-what-you-dream-about/#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 } } ] } ```