--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt sorry for the match ball - it came…" description: "\"I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch crying.\" — Johan Cruijff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg" --- # I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch… ![“I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch crying.” quote by Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg) > “I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch crying.” [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker personifies a soccer ball, expressing empathy for its loss and the emotional impact of the game. **In simple terms:** Feeling sympathy for a lost ball. Key Takeaway Notice how sport can evoke deep feelings. Themes empathy sport emotion Mood melancholic reflective Type literary metaphorical When to use this quote - football match - team loss - player reflection Key Concepts personification attachment Questions to Reflect On - How do we assign emotions to objects? - What does this say about our connection to sport? A Different Perspective The metaphor may over‑dramatize a simple object. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer/) ## Related quotes > [It's the first hat trick of my career, so I will treasure the match ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-quagliarella/it-s-the-first-hat-trick-of-my-career-so-i-will-treasure-the-match/) [Fabio Quagliarella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-quagliarella/) > [I want to mix, match, take something off, move the ball around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cain/i-want-to-mix-match-take-something-off-move-the-ball-around/) [Matt Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cain/) > [I literally would have been the guy that would have played pro ball until they came to me and said, "Go home, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hoechlin/i-literally-would-have-been-the-guy-that-would-have-played-pro-ball/) [Tyler Hoechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hoechlin/) > [I have bowled with the new ball before when I came into the Indian team in the T20 formats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasprit-bumrah/i-have-bowled-with-the-new-ball-before-when-i-came-into-the-indian/) [Jasprit Bumrah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasprit-bumrah/) > [Maradona, if the ball came from his right, he would turn and would use his left foot, because he did not use his right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zico/maradona-if-the-ball-came-from-his-right-he-would-turn-and-would-use/) [Zico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zico/) > [My theory of hitting was just to watch the ball as it came in and hit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/my-theory-of-hitting-was-just-to-watch-the-ball-as-it-came-in-and-hit/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) > [Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/italians-can-t-win-the-game-against-you-but-you-can-lose-the-game/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Actually I never make a mistake, because it takes a huge effort for me to make a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/actually-i-never-make-a-mistake-because-it-takes-a-huge-effort-for-me/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [When I saw how much pain love could bring I felt sorry for those in love, when I saw how much joy love could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-saw-how-much-pain-love-could-bring-i-felt-sorry-for-those-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That people were manifold creatures didn't come as a surprise to the Swede, even if it was a bit of a shock to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/that-people-were-manifold-creatures-didn-t-come-as-a-surprise-to-the/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“For a moment, I felt sorry for him. The pain and disappointment of his life hung about him like a cloak. It permeated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evette-davis/for-a-moment-i-felt-sorry-for-him-the-pain-and-disappointment-of-his/) [Evette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evette-davis/) > [She never felt sorry for herself, and that was something I decided I admired most in people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/she-never-felt-sorry-for-herself-and-that-was-something-i-decided-i/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“A clearing of a gravelly throat pulled him from his thoughts. He turned and looked at Thomas, the boat captain, who was seventy if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/a-clearing-of-a-gravelly-throat-pulled-him-from-his-thoughts-he/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [“No. Since I first saw you. Since I first laid eyes on you and felt sorry for every beautiful thing that was made no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/no-since-i-first-saw-you-since-i-first-laid-eyes-on-you-and-felt/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) ## More by Johan Cruijff > [If you play on possession, you don't have to defend, because there's only one ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/if-you-play-on-possession-you-don-t-have-to-defend-because-there-s/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/playing-football-is-very-simple-but-playing-simple-football-is-the/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [In my teams, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker the first defender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/in-my-teams-the-goalie-is-the-first-attacker-and-the-striker-the/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Football is simple, you're either on time, or you're too late. If you're too late then you have to leave earlier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/football-is-simple-you-re-either-on-time-or-you-re-too-late-if-you-re/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Choose the best player for every position, and you'll end up not with a strong XI, but with 11 strong 1's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/choose-the-best-player-for-every-position-and-you-ll-end-up-not-with/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Actually I never make a mistake, because it takes a huge effort for me to make a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/actually-i-never-make-a-mistake-because-it-takes-a-huge-effort-for-me/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/italians-can-t-win-the-game-against-you-but-you-can-lose-the-game/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Someone who has juggled the ball in the air during a game, after which four defenders of the opponent get the time to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/someone-who-has-juggled-the-ball-in-the-air-during-a-game-after-which/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [YOU NEED BOTH QUALITY AND RESULTS. RESULTS WITHOUT QUALITY IS BORING; QUALITY WITHOUT RESULTS IS MEANINGLESS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/you-need-both-quality-and-results-results-without-quality-is-boring/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [A counter-attack can only arise when you make a mistake. That's why there are rules. A horizontal pass? Prohibited. In my line-up there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/a-counter-attack-can-only-arise-when-you-make-a-mistake-that-s-why/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Every trainer talks about movement, about running a lot. I say don't run so much. Football is a game you play with your brain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/every-trainer-talks-about-movement-about-running-a-lot-i-say-don-t/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [It is better to fail with your own vision than to fail with another man's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/it-is-better-to-fail-with-your-own-vision-than-to-fail-with-another/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [If my forward arrives in a one vs one situation, I always say: 'let him work it out.' Then my players say: But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/if-my-forward-arrives-in-a-one-vs-one-situation-i-always-say-let-him/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [After you've won something, you're no longer 100 percent, but 90 percent. It's like a bottle of carbonated water where the cap is removed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/after-you-ve-won-something-you-re-no-longer-100-percent-but-90/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Football is about making mistakes. Who makes the most, loses the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/football-is-about-making-mistakes-who-makes-the-most-loses-the-game/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) [Explore all 69 Johan Cruijff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) ## More Balls quotes > [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/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) Jerry Glanville Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch crying.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johan Cruijff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came-off-the-pitch-crying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came-off-the-pitch-crying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/johan-cruijff-9968_balls_i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came_1250694.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I felt sorry for the match ball - it came off the pitch crying.” — Johan Cruijff", "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": "Johan Cruijff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I felt sorry for the match...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came-off-the-pitch-crying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/i-felt-sorry-for-the-match-ball-it-came-off-the-pitch-crying/#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 } } ] } ```