--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you become a professional…" description: "\"When you become a professional footballer, there's no written contract that says you have to strive to play first-team football.\" — Joe Hart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg" --- # When you become a professional footballer, there's no… ![“When you become a professional footballer, there's no written contract that says you have to strive to play first-team football.” quote by Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg) > “When you become a professional footballer, there's no written contract that says you have to strive to play first-team football.” [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional athletes often lack explicit contracts for personal ambition, relying on internal drive to achieve top performance. **In simple terms:** Players must self‑motivate without formal promises. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal ambition. Themes motivation self‑discipline career Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team selection - training intensity - career planning - contract negotiations Key Concepts psychology intrinsic motivation performance pressure Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay motivated when no one is watching? - What internal goals guide your daily effort? A Different Perspective External expectations may not align with personal goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Footballer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballer/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [It's about getting experience and developing. The best way to do that is to go out on loan to play first-team football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bamford/it-s-about-getting-experience-and-developing-the-best-way-to-do-that/) [Patrick Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bamford/) > [I want to play first-team football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wilshere/i-want-to-play-first-team-football/) [Jack Wilshere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-wilshere/) > [Being young, I've always wanted to just play first-team football as soon as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tino-livramento/being-young-i-ve-always-wanted-to-just-play-first-team-football-as/) [Tino Livramento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tino-livramento/) > [Even in school, when they asked us what we wanted to be, I wrote, 'A professional footballer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendie-renard/even-in-school-when-they-asked-us-what-we-wanted-to-be-i-wrote-a/) [Wendie Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendie-renard/) > [You want to achieve the most you can in the short period you have in your career as a professional footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cahill/you-want-to-achieve-the-most-you-can-in-the-short-period-you-have-in/) [Gary Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cahill/) > [I'm a professional footballer and, to me, playing regularly is the most important thing; money is secondary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/i-m-a-professional-footballer-and-to-me-playing-regularly-is-the-most/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [Ever since I was six or seven, I wanted to be a professional footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romelu-lukaku/ever-since-i-was-six-or-seven-i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-footballer/) [Romelu Lukaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romelu-lukaku/) > [My first goal was to become a professional footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-lahm/my-first-goal-was-to-become-a-professional-footballer/) [Philipp Lahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-lahm/) > [When I was a child, it was my dream to be a professional footballer. When I was 14 I visited Milan's San Siro stadium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andriy-shevchenko/when-i-was-a-child-it-was-my-dream-to-be-a-professional-footballer/) [Andriy Shevchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andriy-shevchenko/) > [I want people not to be surprised when I say I'm a professional footballer, especially for younger girls, looking up and realising that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-williamson/i-want-people-not-to-be-surprised-when-i-say-i-m-a-professional/) [Leah Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-williamson/) > [You don't get everything your own way when you are a professional footballer, and neither should you expect to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-bent/you-don-t-get-everything-your-own-way-when-you-are-a-professional/) [Darren Bent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-bent/) > [A lot of kids, when they get to 18 or 19, they start getting flashy and forgetting about the real basics of being a professional footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reiss-nelson/a-lot-of-kids-when-they-get-to-18-or-19-they-start-getting-flashy-and/) [Reiss Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reiss-nelson/) > [As a kid, you obviously dream of being a professional footballer. I would watch players like Ronaldo of Brazil and pretend to be him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-bale/as-a-kid-you-obviously-dream-of-being-a-professional-footballer-i/) [Gareth Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-bale/) > [Ever since I was a boy, I have wanted to be a professional footballer and to captain my country one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsey/ever-since-i-was-a-boy-i-have-wanted-to-be-a-professional-footballer/) [Aaron Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsey/) > [I think I get a raw deal from referees. But as a professional footballer I have to accept it, and that's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepe/i-think-i-get-a-raw-deal-from-referees-but-as-a-professional/) [Pepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepe/) ## More by Joe Hart > [Top of my wishlist is to play for a club that wants me to be their goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/top-of-my-wishlist-is-to-play-for-a-club-that-wants-me-to-be-their/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [Not everyone is going to like you, not everyone is going to want to play you, and that's the business side of it, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/not-everyone-is-going-to-like-you-not-everyone-is-going-to-want-to/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [It's a great honour that someone like Sir Alex Ferguson goes out of his way to mention my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/it-s-a-great-honour-that-someone-like-sir-alex-ferguson-goes-out-of/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I just love diving around in goal. Being able to do it for my country is amazing and I remind myself of it every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-just-love-diving-around-in-goal-being-able-to-do-it-for-my-country/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [People say the English players don't come to Italy because they look down on Serie A, but that's just not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/people-say-the-english-players-don-t-come-to-italy-because-they-look/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [Playing to a decent standard sometimes isn't enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/playing-to-a-decent-standard-sometimes-isn-t-enough/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I'm aware that at the big, big clubs stuff can change quickly, as can opinions and people in charge. Not everyone is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-m-aware-that-at-the-big-big-clubs-stuff-can-change-quickly-as-can/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I've got quite a few people who I hold close to my heart and I trust, and a lot of footballing opinions that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-ve-got-quite-a-few-people-who-i-hold-close-to-my-heart-and-i-trust/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [We know the beauty of football is that you get another chance next year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/we-know-the-beauty-of-football-is-that-you-get-another-chance-next/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I really appreciate the people of Man City, and it turns out they appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-really-appreciate-the-people-of-man-city-and-it-turns-out-they/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I'm experienced. I've played at the highest level for a long time and done a lot of things in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-m-experienced-i-ve-played-at-the-highest-level-for-a-long-time-and/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [Football is a game of opinions, and some people have a great opinion of me, and some people probably think I'm absolutely useless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/football-is-a-game-of-opinions-and-some-people-have-a-great-opinion/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [Letting goals in doesn't look great to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/letting-goals-in-doesn-t-look-great-to-myself/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I'm very grateful for what Mr Capello did for my career. I was really honoured that he put me in as his number one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-m-very-grateful-for-what-mr-capello-did-for-my-career-i-was-really/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [“Off to the right the cleared yard fell away, and Sullivan could make out a drive of sorts, or what he assumed was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/off-to-the-right-the-cleared-yard-fell-away-and-sullivan-could-make/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) [Explore all 127 Joe Hart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) ## More Contract quotes > [I am very convinced that I did not contract Ebola in the isolation unit, because our process is so safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-brantly/i-am-very-convinced-that-i-did-not-contract-ebola-in-the-isolation/) [Kent Brantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-brantly/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [I love Scott Coker and I love Bellator and I love what we have built together and it's a little uneasy to think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chandler/i-love-scott-coker-and-i-love-bellator-and-i-love-what-we-have-built/) [Michael Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chandler/) > [I signed my first book contract without paying much attention to what it said. I didn't know at the time that the book would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-signed-my-first-book-contract-without-paying-much-attention-to-what/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I work seriously with complete integrity. I never, never, never have offered a part to anyone who didn't deserve it, and I've never not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toback/i-work-seriously-with-complete-integrity-i-never-never-never-have/) [James Toback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toback/) > [Nowadays, in the contract that actors sign, you have to agree that you're going to do a certain amount of publicity-the hard part they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/nowadays-in-the-contract-that-actors-sign-you-have-to-agree-that-you/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Society is indeed a contract. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/society-is-indeed-a-contract-it-is-a-partnership-in-all-science-a/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A prisoner is imprisoned by the crime that he has committed. A jailer is imprisoned — in the very same prison — by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-prisoner-is-imprisoned-by-the-crime-that-he-has-committed-a-jailer/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“When we are quiet and still we contract and settle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-we-are-quiet-and-still-we-contract-and-settle/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [When you sign a contract, that's your deal. Everyone has different deals anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-you-sign-a-contract-that-s-your-deal-everyone-has-different/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [When you need to renew your contract, you must demonstrate why they are renewing your contract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-pellegrini/when-you-need-to-renew-your-contract-you-must-demonstrate-why-they/) [Manuel Pellegrini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-pellegrini/) > [“You don't know with who you are having to deal with... you just sign the contract to die”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/you-don-t-know-with-who-you-are-having-to-deal-with-you-just-sign-the/) Deyth Banger > [Even if you have a contract you can be sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teemu-pukki/even-if-you-have-a-contract-you-can-be-sold/) [Teemu Pukki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teemu-pukki/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 518 Contract quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you become a professional footballer, there's no written contract that says you have to strive to play first-team football.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Hart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/when-you-become-a-professional-footballer-there-s-no-written-contract/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contract" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/when-you-become-a-professional-footballer-there-s-no-written-contract/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/joe-hart-3538_contract_when-you-become-a-professional-footballe_649685.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you become a professional footballer, there's no written contract that says you have to strive to play…” — Joe Hart", "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": "Joe Hart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you become a professional footballer,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/when-you-become-a-professional-footballer-there-s-no-written-contract/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/when-you-become-a-professional-footballer-there-s-no-written-contract/#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 } } ] } ```