--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always said that playing rugby in…" description: "\"I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.\" — Javier Bardem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg" --- # I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being… ![“I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.” quote by Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg) > “I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.” [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing rugby in Spain feels as culturally jarring as a bullfighter in Japan, highlighting unexpected cross‑cultural contrasts. **In simple terms:** Cross‑cultural experiences can feel mismatched. Key Takeaway Expect and appreciate cultural differences. Themes culture sports contrast Mood reflective humorous Type observational anecdotal When to use this quote - expatriate life - team dynamics Key Concepts cultural adaptation sports participation Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate cultural mismatches? - What parallels exist in your experiences? A Different Perspective Analogies may oversimplify cultural nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bullfighter Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullfighter-japan-2605143/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [Like Bullfighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-bullfighter-2605144/) [Playing rugby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-rugby/) [Rugby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rugby/) [Rugby Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rugby-spain-2605142/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spain/) ## Related quotes > [I'm 49, I've had a brain haemorrhage and a triple bypass and I could still go out and play a reasonable game of rugby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-lowe/i-m-49-i-ve-had-a-brain-haemorrhage-and-a-triple-bypass-and-i-could/) [Graham Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-lowe/) > [In 2011 I stopped playing rugby for England so during the Six Nations, which is on during February and March, I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tindall/in-2011-i-stopped-playing-rugby-for-england-so-during-the-six-nations/) [Mike Tindall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tindall/) > [I played rugby until I was 15, 16 and I eventually had to say, 'No, I have to choose one' and it was obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butland/i-played-rugby-until-i-was-15-16-and-i-eventually-had-to-say-no-i/) [Jack Butland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-butland/) > [I was an ambassador for Betway during the Rugby World Cup and at the moment I'm working as an ambassador for Artemis Investment Management.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tindall/i-was-an-ambassador-for-betway-during-the-rugby-world-cup-and-at-the/) [Mike Tindall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tindall/) > [I played ten injury-free years between the ages of 12 and 22. Then, suddenly, it seemed like I was allergic to the twentieth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-melville/i-played-ten-injury-free-years-between-the-ages-of-12-and-22-then/) [Nigel Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-melville/) > [Playing rugby has been my whole life and for me, keeping fit was part of my job. But when I gave up my career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/playing-rugby-has-been-my-whole-life-and-for-me-keeping-fit-was-part/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [I've seen a lot people like him, but they weren't playing on the wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meads/i-ve-seen-a-lot-people-like-him-but-they-weren-t-playing-on-the-wing/) [Colin Meads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-meads/) > [I really enjoyed playing rugby. I loved the camaraderie with the other athletes. It was kind of like fighting. Team fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-really-enjoyed-playing-rugby-i-loved-the-camaraderie-with-the-other/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [I was playing rugby and the other games English school children do, and there was an event in which races were run, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/i-was-playing-rugby-and-the-other-games-english-school-children-do/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [My favourite sport at school was rugby. All sports are teamwork, but rugby particularly is about teamwork and I think teamwork is the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/my-favourite-sport-at-school-was-rugby-all-sports-are-teamwork-but/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [“Some bruises you wear like badges of honour: when you got it playing rugby, or quad racing, or falling off something while drunk, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-murray/some-bruises-you-wear-like-badges-of-honour-when-you-got-it-playing/) [paul murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-murray/) > [While it can be aggressive playing rugby, the aggression doesn't leave the rugby pitch. A Real Man doesn't need to use violence or be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-care/while-it-can-be-aggressive-playing-rugby-the-aggression-doesn-t-leave/) [Danny Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-care/) > [I loved playing rugby so much. I would have played rugby every day if I could have. I loved being a player so much,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/i-loved-playing-rugby-so-much-i-would-have-played-rugby-every-day-if/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [Good big blokes are better than good little blokes. Then again, good little blokes are better than dud big blokes. And dud big blokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dwyer/good-big-blokes-are-better-than-good-little-blokes-then-again-good/) [Bob Dwyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dwyer/) > [Rugby is a hooligans game played by gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/rugby-is-a-hooligans-game-played-by-gentlemen/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by Javier Bardem > [Awards were made in Hollywood, in whatever the time it was created. They're to promote each other's movies. You give me an award, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/awards-were-made-in-hollywood-in-whatever-the-time-it-was-created/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [When you are portraying somebody that has a very specific emotional weight, you feel like you're really starting to abandon your own body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/when-you-are-portraying-somebody-that-has-a-very-specific-emotional/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I've always said I don't believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-ve-always-said-i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-believe-in-al-pacino/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [ I'm not the kind of actor that gets crazy with \[directors'\] names, what draws me toward a project is the material itself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-m-not-the-kind-of-actor-that-gets-crazy-with-directors-names-what/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [“I don't believe in God, I only believe in Al Pacino, and that's the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-only-believe-in-al-pacino-and-that-s-the/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [But don't call me an actor. I'm just a worker. I am an entertainer. Don't say that what I am doing is art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/but-don-t-call-me-an-actor-i-m-just-a-worker-i-am-an-entertainer-don/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [Now, there are so many movies, so many festivals, and so many awards going on, each judged with each other, like your work is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/now-there-are-so-many-movies-so-many-festivals-and-so-many-awards/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I don't like to talk about my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-don-t-like-to-talk-about-my-personal-life/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I hate violence. When I hold a gun, I feel death in my hands, but it's fun to pretend in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-hate-violence-when-i-hold-a-gun-i-feel-death-in-my-hands-but-it-s/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [The earliest memories I have from my childhood are of my mum getting ready to go on stage. I must have been about five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/the-earliest-memories-i-have-from-my-childhood-are-of-my-mum-getting/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I wanted to become a painter for a while. I think it was because I was lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-wanted-to-become-a-painter-for-a-while-i-think-it-was-because-i-was/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I do respect people's faith, but I don't respect their manipulation of that faith in order to create fear and control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-do-respect-people-s-faith-but-i-don-t-respect-their-manipulation-of/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [“I don't belive in God. I believe in...Al Pacino.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-don-t-belive-in-god-i-believe-in-al-pacino/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [Bond is the longest-running franchise ever and there's a reason for that: they are action movies but they are also touched by current events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/bond-is-the-longest-running-franchise-ever-and-there-s-a-reason-for/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [My first part was in a film where I played a sadomasochist who killed people and created fun orgies. I'm a method actor. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/my-first-part-was-in-a-film-where-i-played-a-sadomasochist-who-killed/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) [Explore all 95 Javier Bardem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) ## More Japan quotes > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) [Royall Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royall-tyler/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“The physical impact of taiko music, along with the sheer visual poetry of a choreographed ensemble presenting its music in perfect synchrony, is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-asakawa/the-physical-impact-of-taiko-music-along-with-the-sheer-visual-poetry/) [Gil Asakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-asakawa/) > [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [Sometimes when you're in different countries, everything has become so homogenised and there's a Starbucks and McDonald's everywhere, and you could feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-yun-lee/sometimes-when-you-re-in-different-countries-everything-has-become-so/) [Will Yun Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-yun-lee/) > [I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-we-should-have-basically-the-same-tax-policy-that-germany/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Japan is already a leader in energy efficiency, and it has a wealth of innovative technologies. We must put this expertise to use creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/japan-is-already-a-leader-in-energy-efficiency-and-it-has-a-wealth-of/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [The historic quarrels between Japan and Korea pale in importance to the bigger question of extent of U.S. commitment to the defense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/the-historic-quarrels-between-japan-and-korea-pale-in-importance-to/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) > [I get that I'm tan, and I would stand out a little bit in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-osaka/i-get-that-i-m-tan-and-i-would-stand-out-a-little-bit-in-japan/) [Naomi Osaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-osaka/) > [We went to Japan and stayed an extra day just to go shopping. 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We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/the-greatest-problem-in-japanese-politics-over-the-last-two-decades/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) [Browse all 1,452 Japan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Javier Bardem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-spain-is-like-being-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Japan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-spain-is-like-being-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/javier-bardem-7004_japan_i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-s_265194.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.” — Javier Bardem", "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": "Javier Bardem", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always said that playing rugby...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-spain-is-like-being-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-ve-always-said-that-playing-rugby-in-spain-is-like-being-a/#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 } } ] } ```