--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a player, and since then, we…" description: "\"When I was a player, and since then, we have never been so snobbish as to go into a tournament saying, 'We will win this World Cup.' We aren't like tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/lothar-matthaus-6058_football_when-i-was-a-player-and-since-then-we-ha_2648593.jpg" --- # When I was a player, and since then, we have never been so… ![“When I was a player, and since then, we have never been so snobbish as to go into a tournament saying, 'We will win this World Cup.' We aren't like that.” quote by Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/lothar-matthaus-6058_football_when-i-was-a-player-and-since-then-we-ha_2648593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/lothar-matthaus-6058_football_when-i-was-a-player-and-since-then-we-ha_2648593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/lothar-matthaus-6058_football_when-i-was-a-player-and-since-then-we-ha_2648593.jpg) > “When I was a player, and since then, we have never been so snobbish as to go into a tournament saying, 'We will win this World Cup.' We aren't like that.” [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) ## 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 denies overconfidence before tournaments, rejecting a “we will win” attitude. **In simple terms:** Rejects overconfidence before tournaments. Key Takeaway Stay humble and realistic. Themes sportsmanship humility confidence Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type advice observational When to use this quote - football - sports psychology - coaching Key Concepts team dynamics competition goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How to balance confidence and humility? - What mindset fuels success? A Different Perspective Over‑cautiousness may hinder performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cup/) ## Related quotes > [I think my breakthrough was at the World Cup 1986.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-think-my-breakthrough-was-at-the-world-cup-1986/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [To speak of Mexico '86, I can make it short and speak only of Maradona. I never saw a player who dominated a World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/to-speak-of-mexico-86-i-can-make-it-short-and-speak-only-of-maradona/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [the neighborhood is nothing but a protective zone- remodeling, disinfection, a snobbish and hygenic design- but above all in a figurative sense: it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/the-neighborhood-is-nothing-but-a-protective-zone-remodeling/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [I don't mind being called snobbish, a pain and a social climber, but being called unkind really hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/i-don-t-mind-being-called-snobbish-a-pain-and-a-social-climber-but/) [Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/) > [I have been reading Madame Roland's memoirs and have come to the conclusion that she was a very over-rated woman; snobbish, vain, sentimental, envious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-roland/i-have-been-reading-madame-roland-s-memoirs-and-have-come-to-the/) [Madame Roland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-roland/) > [“If my sister were a character in a Victorian drama, she would be the snobbish rich girl with a penchant for talking shit about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/if-my-sister-were-a-character-in-a-victorian-drama-she-would-be-the/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [“The thing I truly object to,” Kitty said, “and I know this sounds trivial and I don’t care if it sounds a bit snobbish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hensher/the-thing-i-truly-object-to-kitty-said-and-i-know-this-sounds-trivial/) [Philip Hensher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hensher/) > [I went to a very elitist, snobbish, expensive education in India, and it almost killed me. I was all set to be a diplomat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunker-roy/i-went-to-a-very-elitist-snobbish-expensive-education-in-india-and-it/) [Bunker Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunker-roy/) > [Camels are snobbish and sheep, unintelligent; water buffaloes, neurasthenic-- even murderous. Reindeer seem over-serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/camels-are-snobbish-and-sheep-unintelligent-water-buffaloes/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [It is almost impossible to have a baseless snobbish opinion of the General Theory of Relativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/it-is-almost-impossible-to-have-a-baseless-snobbish-opinion-of-the/) [Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/) > [There is (as I now find) no remorse for time long past, even for what may have mortified us or made us ashamed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/there-is-as-i-now-find-no-remorse-for-time-long-past-even-for-what/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [I have facial blindness. It's hugely embarrassing as it makes me seem supercilious or snobbish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-have-facial-blindness-it-s-hugely-embarrassing-as-it-makes-me-seem/) [Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/) > [A spurious democracy has influenced both our research methods (I am sometimes tempted to define "validity" as part of the context of an experiment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-riesman/a-spurious-democracy-has-influenced-both-our-research-methods-i-am/) [David Riesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-riesman/) > [Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/every-age-has-its-temptations-its-weaknesses-its-dangers-ours-is-in/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [“When we scream and shout inside our heart, deep silence prevails outside and often we are mistaken to be snobbish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upasana-banerjee/when-we-scream-and-shout-inside-our-heart-deep-silence-prevails/) [Upasana Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upasana-banerjee/) ## More by Lothar Matthaus > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Guardiola won so many trophies at Barcelona that he had a huge impact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/guardiola-won-so-many-trophies-at-barcelona-that-he-had-a-huge-impact/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [I am not a superstar, nor do I want to be remembered as one. I have always been a team player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-am-not-a-superstar-nor-do-i-want-to-be-remembered-as-one-i-have/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [I always thought I'd be a coach, but I'm still open to everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-always-thought-i-d-be-a-coach-but-i-m-still-open-to-everything/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Dele Alli doesn't have to show me or anyone else anything - because he has already proved his quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/dele-alli-doesn-t-have-to-show-me-or-anyone-else-anything-because-he/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [I live in Budapest and saw how the football helped the Hungarian people to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-live-in-budapest-and-saw-how-the-football-helped-the-hungarian/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Muller is part No. 7 and part No. 9, a second striker. But in Ancelotti's system, there is no room for that type of player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/muller-is-part-no-7-and-part-no-9-a-second-striker-but-in-ancelotti-s/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Nobody needs to talk about the history of Manchester United because everybody knows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/nobody-needs-to-talk-about-the-history-of-manchester-united-because/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [I'm proud I was first to be named World Player of the Year, in 1991.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-m-proud-i-was-first-to-be-named-world-player-of-the-year-in-1991/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [For Guardiola, the system and tactics can change but not the approach, attitude, or philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/for-guardiola-the-system-and-tactics-can-change-but-not-the-approach/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [I hold Jonas Hector in high esteem, and he is a good player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/i-hold-jonas-hector-in-high-esteem-and-he-is-a-good-player/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [If there's one thing that fans like to see, it's a player who can run at full speed towards the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/if-there-s-one-thing-that-fans-like-to-see-it-s-a-player-who-can-run/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Toni Kroos leaving the German national team would hurt me very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/toni-kroos-leaving-the-german-national-team-would-hurt-me-very-much/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [To speak of Mexico '86, I can make it short and speak only of Maradona. I never saw a player who dominated a World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/to-speak-of-mexico-86-i-can-make-it-short-and-speak-only-of-maradona/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Robert Lewandowski has had some criticism, but he knows how to find the net.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/robert-lewandowski-has-had-some-criticism-but-he-knows-how-to-find/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Explore all 100 Lothar Matthaus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) ## 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": "When I was a player, and since then, we have never been so snobbish as to go into a tournament saying, 'We will win this World Cup.' 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