--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to emulate what Beckham did when…" description: "\"You have to emulate what Beckham did when he was younger, practising those free kicks, to be at that level.\" — James Ward-Prowse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/james-ward-prowse-8164_free_you-have-to-emulate-what-beckham-did-whe_1233942.jpg" --- # You have to emulate what Beckham did when he was younger… ![“You have to emulate what Beckham did when he was younger, practising those free kicks, to be at that level.” quote by James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/james-ward-prowse-8164_free_you-have-to-emulate-what-beckham-did-whe_1233942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/james-ward-prowse-8164_free_you-have-to-emulate-what-beckham-did-whe_1233942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/james-ward-prowse-8164_free_you-have-to-emulate-what-beckham-did-whe_1233942.jpg) > “You have to emulate what Beckham did when he was younger, practising those free kicks, to be at that level.” [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastery requires deliberate practice of foundational skills, as exemplified by Beckham’s early free‑kick training. **In simple terms:** Practice basics to reach elite level. Key Takeaway Practice fundamentals consistently. Themes practice mastery dedication skill development Mood motivational determined Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - sports training - skill acquisition - career progression Key Concepts deliberate practice muscle memory role modeling Questions to Reflect On - What basic skill can you improve today? - How does early practice shape later success? A Different Perspective Focusing only on advanced techniques neglects fundamentals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emulate Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emulate-beckham-3827360/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Kicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-kicks-278729/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Kicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks/) [Kicks Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks-level-3827362/) [Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger/) [Younger Practising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger-practising-3827361/) ## Related quotes > [I never take free kicks because it's not my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/i-never-take-free-kicks-because-it-s-not-my-job/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [I do go to football sometimes but I don't know the offside rule or free-kicks - or side kicks - or whatever they're called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/i-do-go-to-football-sometimes-but-i-don-t-know-the-offside-rule-or/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [Beckham takes free kicks better than me. It is a joy to watch him take free kicks and he has proved that free kicks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/beckham-takes-free-kicks-better-than-me-it-is-a-joy-to-watch-him-take/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [I used to watch Juninho's free-kicks without being able to figure out how he hit them. I tried and tried until, eventually, I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/i-used-to-watch-juninho-s-free-kicks-without-being-able-to-figure-out/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [Starting out when I was a kid, I always liked taking free-kicks and now you're going up towards the top where the greats are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/starting-out-when-i-was-a-kid-i-always-liked-taking-free-kicks-and/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [When I was younger, I just felt really confident with free-kicks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/when-i-was-younger-i-just-felt-really-confident-with-free-kicks/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Beckham was the one for me. Not only his free-kicks but his overall image. I copied every haircut, I wanted his boots, I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/beckham-was-the-one-for-me-not-only-his-free-kicks-but-his-overall/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [I had to really go away and practice and try and perfect the dead-ball situations and being in the same squad as Rickie Lambert,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-had-to-really-go-away-and-practice-and-try-and-perfect-the-dead/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [I've seen a few still images of my body and the way I am when I strike the ball and it baffles me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-seen-a-few-still-images-of-my-body-and-the-way-i-am-when-i/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [That's the difficulty with free-kicks, as you get one, maybe two, and that's why it's tough. You have to score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitri-payet/that-s-the-difficulty-with-free-kicks-as-you-get-one-maybe-two-and/) [Dimitri Payet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitri-payet/) > [Watching David Beckham and Ronaldo scoring all these free-kicks, I was in awe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-mount/watching-david-beckham-and-ronaldo-scoring-all-these-free-kicks-i-was/) [Mason Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-mount/) > [There are seven days in a week. I take seven free kicks daily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/there-are-seven-days-in-a-week-i-take-seven-free-kicks-daily/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Ronaldo can score every type of goal. He can use both feet, his head, take free kicks, finish from close range or outside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-forlan/ronaldo-can-score-every-type-of-goal-he-can-use-both-feet-his-head/) [Diego Forlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-forlan/) > [I've never told anyone, but my ambition is to become the leading all-time scorer of free kicks in Serie A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/i-ve-never-told-anyone-but-my-ambition-is-to-become-the-leading-all/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [Often in Spain you're winning 2-0, there are 15 minutes left, and it's as good as over. You control it, and the tempo drops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/often-in-spain-you-re-winning-2-0-there-are-15-minutes-left-and-it-s/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) ## More by James Ward-Prowse > [I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-had-difficult-experiences-and-obviously-there-s-been-the-birth/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Growing up I wasn't always the toughest kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/growing-up-i-wasn-t-always-the-toughest-kid/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [I think it's every young player's dream to play for England and to be given that opportunity and chance to represent your country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-think-it-s-every-young-player-s-dream-to-play-for-england-and-to-be/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [It's not just about the 11 players that start the games, it's about the squad players, the ones that come on off the bench…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/it-s-not-just-about-the-11-players-that-start-the-games-it-s-about/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [It is a good thing to be nice but to get to a certain level you have to have that bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/it-is-a-good-thing-to-be-nice-but-to-get-to-a-certain-level-you-have/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [People at Southampton have been showing me the way and I am still learning all the time about being a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/people-at-southampton-have-been-showing-me-the-way-and-i-am-still/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [I found that I skip and jump when I strike the ball and it helps to get it up and over. If you look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-found-that-i-skip-and-jump-when-i-strike-the-ball-and-it-helps-to/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Always applied myself 100 per cent to what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/always-applied-myself-100-per-cent-to-what-i-m-doing/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [All of my role models - Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham - were leaders and that's the sort of person I like to think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/all-of-my-role-models-gerrard-lampard-and-beckham-were-leaders-and/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [You know, when you grow up through the Academy, you don't necessarily think about 300 games later into your career. You're only thinking, 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/you-know-when-you-grow-up-through-the-academy-you-don-t-necessarily/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [I've studied videos of Beckham as well and he's someone I do look to compare myself to in terms of set-piece deliveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-studied-videos-of-beckham-as-well-and-he-s-someone-i-do-look-to/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [One of the things I got asked is how I deal with the frustration and the bad times and I said it's about having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/one-of-the-things-i-got-asked-is-how-i-deal-with-the-frustration-and/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Even as a youngster, my dad put me into one-on-one coaching with Tony Mount, Mason's dad, and Mason would come along and we'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/even-as-a-youngster-my-dad-put-me-into-one-on-one-coaching-with-tony/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [We all want to be the best and give ourselves a chance to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/we-all-want-to-be-the-best-and-give-ourselves-a-chance-to-succeed/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [You have to enjoy the good moments, of course, but you also have to work through the tough times and maintain that belief in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/you-have-to-enjoy-the-good-moments-of-course-but-you-also-have-to/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) [Explore all 83 James Ward-Prowse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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