--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously, competitive matches are useful…" description: "\"Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player, but it's not the be all and end all.\" — Marcel Desailly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png" --- # Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player… ![“Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player, but it's not the be all and end all.” quote by Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png) > “Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player, but it's not the be all and end all.” [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competitive matches are beneficial but not the sole measure of a player's value, suggesting broader criteria for assessment. **In simple terms:** Matches help, but aren't everything. Key Takeaway Value broader contributions. Themes sports assessment development Mood analytical balanced Type sports motivational When to use this quote - training evaluation - team dynamics - career planning Key Concepts sports psychology career planning Questions to Reflect On - What other metrics define player success? - How can players develop beyond competition? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on matches can hinder holistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Competitive Matches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-matches-1545892/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Matches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matches/) [Obviously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obviously/) [Obviously Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obviously-competitive-3243873/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful/) [Useful Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-player-3243874/) ## Related quotes > [I like to hit hard, I like to be hit hard, and I like really competitive matches. That's my take on pro wrestling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-riddle/i-like-to-hit-hard-i-like-to-be-hit-hard-and-i-like-really/) [Matt Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-riddle/) > [During high school, I would purposely lose tennis and squash matches to escape the agony of anxiety that competitive situations would provoke in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/during-high-school-i-would-purposely-lose-tennis-and-squash-matches/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [The U.S. is just in a class by itself in military expenses. It basically matches the rest of the world, and it's far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-u-s-is-just-in-a-class-by-itself-in-military-expenses-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You gain respect in your opponents' minds when you win a lot of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casper-ruud/you-gain-respect-in-your-opponents-minds-when-you-win-a-lot-of-matches/) [Casper Ruud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casper-ruud/) > [I'm very, very focused on my children. In fact, I'm very religious about having breakfast with them every morning, having dinner with them every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-xin/i-m-very-very-focused-on-my-children-in-fact-i-m-very-religious-about/) [Zhang Xin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-xin/) > [I produce the most exciting matches with pretty much any person on the roster. Pick any guy on the roster, and I can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesaro/i-produce-the-most-exciting-matches-with-pretty-much-any-person-on/) [Cesaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesaro/) > [I go to matches to watch players who entertain. I still watch old footage of Paul Gascoigne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-bullard/i-go-to-matches-to-watch-players-who-entertain-i-still-watch-old/) [Jimmy Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-bullard/) > [You work throughout the week to be prepared for the matches you're called upon to play. If you train badly you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-caballero/you-work-throughout-the-week-to-be-prepared-for-the-matches-you-re/) [Willy Caballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-caballero/) > [I've watched quite a few matches to understand English football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-lacazette/i-ve-watched-quite-a-few-matches-to-understand-english-football/) [Alexandre Lacazette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-lacazette/) > [A lot of the players are very complimentary about each other; they embrace at the end of matches because the level of the tennis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/a-lot-of-the-players-are-very-complimentary-about-each-other-they/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [English football is very different from Italian; it's more physical, and matches are always very open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/english-football-is-very-different-from-italian-it-s-more-physical/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [Playing main-draw matches helps, and playing in front of crowds and playing in big matches definitely helps, getting them all under your belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/playing-main-draw-matches-helps-and-playing-in-front-of-crowds-and/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [I liked the generation of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, who I admired. I was a little bit jealous of Karel Poborsky who played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavel-nedved/i-liked-the-generation-of-paul-scholes-and-ryan-giggs-who-i-admired-i/) [Pavel Nedved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pavel-nedved/) > [Staying consistent is even more important in three-out-of-five-set matches, to be able to wear on guys over that long of a match, if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/staying-consistent-is-even-more-important-in-three-out-of-five-set/) [Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/) > [Generally speaking, ROH championship matches are hard fought and grueling, and the fans are really into it. The ROH Championship means a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/generally-speaking-roh-championship-matches-are-hard-fought-and/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) ## More by Marcel Desailly > [The way to win is to win together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/the-way-to-win-is-to-win-together/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [To experience playing with other big players, to be maybe a second choice. To face difficulty, a new language for his family. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/to-experience-playing-with-other-big-players-to-be-maybe-a-second/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Honestly when you look at football when Sepp Blatter was made FIFA president in 1998, the global budget for the World Cup in France,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/honestly-when-you-look-at-football-when-sepp-blatter-was-made-fifa/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Because he knows he has the talent to change games, you get the impression Neymar wants to be the one to do that something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/because-he-knows-he-has-the-talent-to-change-games-you-get-the/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [In 2002 we went into the first World Cup in Asia as reigning champions and we had also added the European crown in 2000,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/in-2002-we-went-into-the-first-world-cup-in-asia-as-reigning/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [This is the sort of situation I enjoy: a game in the San Siro, a huge crowd and a night for big men. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/this-is-the-sort-of-situation-i-enjoy-a-game-in-the-san-siro-a-huge/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Giroud is the perfect team-mate and player for the France national team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/giroud-is-the-perfect-team-mate-and-player-for-the-france-national/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [As a player, Di Matteo helped build the foundations of a winning mentality that Chelsea was in need of at the time. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/as-a-player-di-matteo-helped-build-the-foundations-of-a-winning/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Lyon is a big club, but it's not Milan, Barcelona or Chelsea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/lyon-is-a-big-club-but-it-s-not-milan-barcelona-or-chelsea/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Smaller nations now believe in their capacity to cause problems and to challenge the traditional powers of world football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/smaller-nations-now-believe-in-their-capacity-to-cause-problems-and/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [I'm not like those who moan about having little teams at these competitions - for me that's what the World Cup is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/i-m-not-like-those-who-moan-about-having-little-teams-at-these/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [Ronaldo has never won anything with Portugal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/ronaldo-has-never-won-anything-with-portugal/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [To compete with Spain and France you have to copy the model that we have established in the clubs. You have to start from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/to-compete-with-spain-and-france-you-have-to-copy-the-model-that-we/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [I nearly signed for Monaco because it was a more stable club. My family were in favour of Monaco. At Marseille everything is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/i-nearly-signed-for-monaco-because-it-was-a-more-stable-club-my/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [I remember we had a terrible start to the 2002 World Cup, losing to Senegal when we were the reigning world and European champions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/i-remember-we-had-a-terrible-start-to-the-2002-world-cup-losing-to/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) [Explore all 104 Marcel Desailly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) ## More Competitive quotes > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) > [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/) [Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/) > [I just love this sport and it's so competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/i-just-love-this-sport-and-it-s-so-competitive/) [Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/) > [Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-must-be-in-the-same-competitive-situation-including-on-the/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [Uruguayans are competitive, and we always want to win. Even though we try to hide it, it is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-godin/uruguayans-are-competitive-and-we-always-want-to-win-even-though-we/) [Diego Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-godin/) > [I'm quite competitive. Not with other models but with myself. I have to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arizona-muse/i-m-quite-competitive-not-with-other-models-but-with-myself-i-have-to/) [Arizona Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arizona-muse/) > [I'll miss the competitive side and the camaraderie of being around the players and competing each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ll-miss-the-competitive-side-and-the-camaraderie-of-being-around/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [We always want to see each other do well. And I think we all want to win. As competitive as you are, you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/we-always-want-to-see-each-other-do-well-and-i-think-we-all-want-to/) [Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/) > [Any physical practice can be a competitive sport. What level you can take postures to create the maximum challenge and show your maximum skill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajashree-choudhury/any-physical-practice-can-be-a-competitive-sport-what-level-you-can/) [Rajashree Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajashree-choudhury/) [Browse all 1,008 Competitive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player, but it's not the be all and end all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcel Desailly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful-for-a-player-but-it-s-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competitive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful-for-a-player-but-it-s-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/marcel-desailly-5030_competitive_obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful_2771206.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Obviously, competitive matches are useful for a player, but it's not the be all and end all.” — Marcel Desailly", "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": "Marcel Desailly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Obviously, competitive matches are useful for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful-for-a-player-but-it-s-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/obviously-competitive-matches-are-useful-for-a-player-but-it-s-not/#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 } } ] } ```