--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All the pain I had, it was not worth it…" description: "\"All the pain I had, it was not worth it. My ankle created so many problems, it affected my day-to-day living. But at that time football was my whole li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/marco-van-basten-4950_football_all-the-pain-i-had-it-was-not-worth-it-m_1902033.jpg" --- # All the pain I had, it was not worth it. My ankle created… ![“All the pain I had, it was not worth it. My ankle created so many problems, it affected my day-to-day living. But at that time football was my whole life. Now I am older, I have had a life without football. You can still have a good life - there is more than football.” quote by Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/marco-van-basten-4950_football_all-the-pain-i-had-it-was-not-worth-it-m_1902033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/marco-van-basten-4950_football_all-the-pain-i-had-it-was-not-worth-it-m_1902033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/marco-van-basten-4950_football_all-the-pain-i-had-it-was-not-worth-it-m_1902033.jpg) > “All the pain I had, it was not worth it. My ankle created so many problems, it affected my day-to-day living. But at that time football was my whole life. Now I am older, I have had a life without football. You can still have a good life - there is more than football.” [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life after a career‑ending injury shows identity can expand beyond a single passion; new purpose is possible. **In simple terms:** Life can thrive beyond sport. Key Takeaway Find purpose beyond former identity. Themes identity transition purpose Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career change - retirement - health recovery Key Concepts sports life coaching Questions to Reflect On - What new purpose can you pursue? - How do you honor past passions while moving forward? A Different Perspective Adjusting to new identity can be emotionally painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-life/) [Good life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I accept that in life and football you have good times and bad, and it's how you deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-accept-that-in-life-and-football-you-have-good-times-and-bad-and-it/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [Italians have a very closed life. Football is all their life is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-zola/italians-have-a-very-closed-life-football-is-all-their-life-is/) [Gianfranco Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-zola/) > [There is this preconceived idea that I would follow the likes of Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher, and Gary into the media because it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-neville/there-is-this-preconceived-idea-that-i-would-follow-the-likes-of/) [Phil Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-neville/) > [Sacchi was a good coach. He wanted to play pressure football. The good thing was that he created a good group with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/sacchi-was-a-good-coach-he-wanted-to-play-pressure-football-the-good/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Football was what I was good at, and it was what I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cruz/football-was-what-i-was-good-at-and-it-was-what-i-loved/) [Victor Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cruz/) > [My process to adapt to English football has been very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabinho/my-process-to-adapt-to-english-football-has-been-very-good/) [Fabinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabinho/) > [News from football, for me, even if it is good or bad, I never see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-felix/news-from-football-for-me-even-if-it-is-good-or-bad-i-never-see-it/) [Joao Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-felix/) > [The props of being a Leeds United player in my own home city is good and the rewards in football are very good so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalvin-phillips/the-props-of-being-a-leeds-united-player-in-my-own-home-city-is-good/) [Kalvin Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalvin-phillips/) > [For me, I want to improve, to play good football in a good league; the money is not the most important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nemanja-matic/for-me-i-want-to-improve-to-play-good-football-in-a-good-league-the/) [Nemanja Matic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nemanja-matic/) > [In the last year my wife has noticed me struggling to get downstairs on a Sunday morning. I've two young children and football has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-le-saux/in-the-last-year-my-wife-has-noticed-me-struggling-to-get-downstairs/) [Graeme Le Saux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-le-saux/) > [I like to watch football. So whenever I can. It's good to watch football and learn about your teammates, or players that you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-jones/i-like-to-watch-football-so-whenever-i-can-it-s-good-to-watch/) [Mac Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-jones/) > [Chelsea are not made to play football. We're good on the counter, a little bit like Real against Bayern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-hazard/chelsea-are-not-made-to-play-football-we-re-good-on-the-counter-a/) [Eden Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-hazard/) > [Everyone finds their little ways of getting past bad moments and everyone has them, it's football. We get the good moments and we get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stones/everyone-finds-their-little-ways-of-getting-past-bad-moments-and/) [John Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stones/) > [It doesn't matter how I'm asked to play, or if the football is good or bad: I like football when I'm on the pitch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/it-doesn-t-matter-how-i-m-asked-to-play-or-if-the-football-is-good-or/) [Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/) > [My first experience with football was not very good because I didn't plan on playing football. I was just playing hookie one day and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/my-first-experience-with-football-was-not-very-good-because-i-didn-t/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) ## More by Marco van Basten > [When you are a good player you want to play every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/when-you-are-a-good-player-you-want-to-play-every-week/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [There was a moment in 1996 I had to say: 'I have to try to get healthy.' We made a decision to fuse my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/there-was-a-moment-in-1996-i-had-to-say-i-have-to-try-to-get-healthy/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I think my gymnastic background helped a great deal with my agility when I took up football seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-think-my-gymnastic-background-helped-a-great-deal-with-my-agility/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Maybe an orange card could be shown that sees a player go out of the game for 10 minutes for incidents that are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/maybe-an-orange-card-could-be-shown-that-sees-a-player-go-out-of-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [If you can score a lot of goals in Italy, you can do it in the Champions League as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/if-you-can-score-a-lot-of-goals-in-italy-you-can-do-it-in-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Football should be tense, fair and attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/football-should-be-tense-fair-and-attractive/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I try my best to do what's best for the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-try-my-best-to-do-what-s-best-for-the-team/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I have worked with Johan Cruyff, with Rinus Michels, with Arrigo Sacchi and with Fabio Capello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-have-worked-with-johan-cruyff-with-rinus-michels-with-arrigo-sacchi/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Arsenal are the most beautiful club in England. At Man City and Chelsea, they will never have that class and style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/arsenal-are-the-most-beautiful-club-in-england-at-man-city-and/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [When I became the assistant, I was intelligent and helpful. I had patience. As the head coach I was completely the opposite. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/when-i-became-the-assistant-i-was-intelligent-and-helpful-i-had/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Arsenal are a really big club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/arsenal-are-a-really-big-club/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Messi is the best player in the world. If he wins a World Cup, he will be the best player ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/messi-is-the-best-player-in-the-world-if-he-wins-a-world-cup-he-will/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [In England there's a lot of money to create a great team like Barcelona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/in-england-there-s-a-lot-of-money-to-create-a-great-team-like/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I'm not a good manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-m-not-a-good-manager/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Scoring can be simply a matter of confidence. Sometimes it happens easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/scoring-can-be-simply-a-matter-of-confidence-sometimes-it-happens/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) [Explore all 104 Marco van Basten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) ## 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": "All the pain I had, it was not worth it. 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