--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a defender, I know, but I think to…" description: "\"I am a defender, I know, but I think to myself that I could score more goals for Liverpool than I already did. Maybe sometimes I need a little bit of l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/joel-matip-7398_football_i-am-a-defender-i-know-but-i-think-to-my_2793228.jpg" --- # I am a defender, I know, but I think to myself that I… ![“I am a defender, I know, but I think to myself that I could score more goals for Liverpool than I already did. Maybe sometimes I need a little bit of luck, maybe sometimes I have to do something different when I go forward. I'm not desperate about it.” quote by Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/joel-matip-7398_football_i-am-a-defender-i-know-but-i-think-to-my_2793228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/joel-matip-7398_football_i-am-a-defender-i-know-but-i-think-to-my_2793228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/joel-matip-7398_football_i-am-a-defender-i-know-but-i-think-to-my_2793228.jpg) > “I am a defender, I know, but I think to myself that I could score more goals for Liverpool than I already did. Maybe sometimes I need a little bit of luck, maybe sometimes I have to do something different when I go forward. I'm not desperate about it.” [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An athlete reflects on personal ambition, recognizing that beyond skill, luck and strategic changes can boost performance, while staying calm about outcomes. **In simple terms:** Success needs skill, luck, and sometimes new tactics. Key Takeaway Balance effort with openness to change. Themes sports ambition self‑reflection strategy confidence Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - training sessions - match preparation - career planning - team meetings Key Concepts probability adaptability performance mindset Questions to Reflect On - What new approach could improve your game? - How do you stay calm under pressure? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on luck may undermine confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) ## Related quotes > [Winning the Championship is like taking a 26-year ball and chain from around our legs. Now we can go forward, and hopefully dominate English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-robson/winning-the-championship-is-like-taking-a-26-year-ball-and-chain-from/) [Bryan Robson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-robson/) > [I have always dreamt of playing for Liverpool, but I did kind of think the chance of playing for them had gone. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-lambert/i-have-always-dreamt-of-playing-for-liverpool-but-i-did-kind-of-think/) [Rickie Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-lambert/) > [I like the way Luis Suarez plays. When I was growing up, I was a Liverpool fan, and I watched a lot of him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/i-like-the-way-luis-suarez-plays-when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-a/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [“Papa always said you make your own luck. And maybe you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-holm/papa-always-said-you-make-your-own-luck-and-maybe-you-do/) [Jennifer L. Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-holm/) > [“There's only one good aspect to it," says Joe. "You may get his job. 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Maybe it's luck or maybe it's fate, but either way, it comes back around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/because-everything-that-goes-around-comes-around-maybe-it-s-luck-or/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I think I would make a much better president than Ted Cruz, and with a little luck maybe I'll get more votes, but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vermin-supreme/i-think-i-would-make-a-much-better-president-than-ted-cruz-and-with-a/) [Vermin Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vermin-supreme/) > [“Maybe (Taoist story) A classic ancient story illustrates the importance of equanimity and emotional resilience beautifully. Once upon a time, there was a wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/maybe-taoist-story-a-classic-ancient-story-illustrates-the-importance/) [Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/) > [The only way to beat Liverpool is to score more goals than them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-claridge/the-only-way-to-beat-liverpool-is-to-score-more-goals-than-them/) [Steve Claridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-claridge/) > [I'm a forward, and I need to score goals, but I want to play at a higher level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-icardi/i-m-a-forward-and-i-need-to-score-goals-but-i-want-to-play-at-a/) [Mauro Icardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-icardi/) > [CR7 is not a pure center forward, but he is the one who scores the most and must score the most goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-toni/cr7-is-not-a-pure-center-forward-but-he-is-the-one-who-scores-the/) [Luca Toni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-toni/) > [To be there on the pitch, to play for Liverpool, it's just great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/to-be-there-on-the-pitch-to-play-for-liverpool-it-s-just-great/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I didn't only join Liverpool because of Klopp, but I had good talks with him. The whole package just suited me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-didn-t-only-join-liverpool-because-of-klopp-but-i-had-good-talks/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I had 16 years at Schalke. It was my hometown club, I grew up there my whole life and it was a big decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-had-16-years-at-schalke-it-was-my-hometown-club-i-grew-up-there-my/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) ## More by Joel Matip > [I want to improve for myself, not for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-want-to-improve-for-myself-not-for-other-people/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Salah already played in England. He has high skills at dribbling, tempo and finishing and he makes defenders despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/salah-already-played-in-england-he-has-high-skills-at-dribbling-tempo/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I had 16 years at Schalke. It was my hometown club, I grew up there my whole life and it was a big decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-had-16-years-at-schalke-it-was-my-hometown-club-i-grew-up-there-my/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [There was no tougher training than under Magath. Every coach I had after this I would think 'no problem.' Magath was what you call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/there-was-no-tougher-training-than-under-magath-every-coach-i-had/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I didn't only join Liverpool because of Klopp, but I had good talks with him. The whole package just suited me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-didn-t-only-join-liverpool-because-of-klopp-but-i-had-good-talks/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [To be there on the pitch, to play for Liverpool, it's just great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/to-be-there-on-the-pitch-to-play-for-liverpool-it-s-just-great/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [In the Bundesliga we would always have our eye on games in England - this hard, physical league - so it became a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/in-the-bundesliga-we-would-always-have-our-eye-on-games-in-england/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [If you are one against one with Philippe in training, it's the same as you see on the field. It is very hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/if-you-are-one-against-one-with-philippe-in-training-it-s-the-same-as/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I hope I can continue to make the supporters proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-hope-i-can-continue-to-make-the-supporters-proud/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Cameroon is a big football nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/cameroon-is-a-big-football-nation/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I know what I can do and shooting is not my favourite part, so I think it's better to leave the shooting for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-know-what-i-can-do-and-shooting-is-not-my-favourite-part-so-i-think/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [I have to improve at everything and get better to help the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/i-have-to-improve-at-everything-and-get-better-to-help-the-team/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Ralf Rangnick lets me play, he talks to me and of course this helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/ralf-rangnick-lets-me-play-he-talks-to-me-and-of-course-this-helps/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Preseason is the basis for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/preseason-is-the-basis-for-everything/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Sometimes there are always parts in the game when you are a player and you are not playing that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/sometimes-there-are-always-parts-in-the-game-when-you-are-a-player/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) [Explore all 91 Joel Matip quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a defender, I know, but I think to myself that I could score more goals for Liverpool than I already did. 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